Snow Goose Behavior: Wing-Down Resting Posture

I photographed this Snow Goose on January 5, 2026, at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. While watching this Snow Goose behavior, one detail immediately stood out. The bird was standing on one leg with one wing hanging down. That posture often raises concern about injury at first glance.

I stayed with this bird for a while and watched it closely. Over the course of the morning, it repeatedly held this posture for several minutes at a time, then returned to a normal stance. When it walked, it moved on both legs without hesitation, and the wing folded back into a normal position. There were no signs of limping, dragging, or imbalance.

I’ve seen similar one-legged resting behavior in other large birds as well, including Great Blue Herons, which commonly stand on one leg for long periods as a normal posture, not a sign of injury (Great Blue Heron’s One-Legged Stance).

Why This Wing Position Is Normal

This type of Snow Goose behavior is common in relaxed, healthy birds and is often misunderstood when seen out of context. Snow Geese will rest on one leg while relaxing the muscles on one side of the body. Lowering a single wing can serve several purposes at once. It helps stretch the shoulder and flight muscles, maintain balance while standing on one leg, and in some cases regulate body temperature. Because of their size, these stretches can look dramatic and are easy to mistake for injury if you only see a single moment.

What stood out to me was how relaxed this bird was. It wasn’t alert or tense. It wasn’t favoring one side while moving. It simply alternated between resting, stretching, and standing normally. That pattern is exactly what you expect from a healthy goose that’s comfortable in its surroundings.

Moments like this are a good reminder that wildlife behavior often looks strange when frozen in a photograph. Spending time observing the animal before and after pressing the shutter can tell you far more than any single frame.

Photography Notes

I photographed this goose from a distance that allowed it to behave naturally, without reacting to my presence. The light was clean and even, which helped bring out the subtle texture in the feathers and the shape of the body without harsh shadows.

Camera and Exposure Information

• Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II
• Lens: Canon RF 200–800mm F6.3–9 IS USM
• Focal length: 800mm
• Aperture: f/10
• Shutter speed: 1/4000 second
• ISO: 1000
• Exposure compensation: −1/3
• Date and time: January 5, 2026 at 11:22 AM

This image was created as a quiet documentation of natural behavior, not a moment of distress. Observing and understanding these small details is one of the things I enjoy most about photographing wildlife in the field.