Question:

In a previous question you stated that blue geese and snow geese are the same species with different color phases.

Does this mean that snow geese and blue geese interbreed and that color phase is just genetically linked? -Lindsey Ewinger

Answer:

Hello Lindsey,

Although lesser snow geese tend to pair with an individual of their own color phase, the white and blue phases in fact do interbreed. The white and blue colors are largely controlled by a single gene with 2 alleles. The typical colors are white (homozygous for white), intermediate (heterozygous - one white and one blue allele), and blue (homozygous for blue).

Thanks for the question.Joel Brice

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