This goose is circumpolar in its breeding distribution. In North America, it breeds mainly in the Arctic tundra near coasts as well as upland inland areas except for parts of the northeastern Canadian Arctic. Nests are built in dry areas among low vegetation bordering small lakes, ponds, and estuaries. Part of the population also breeds in open areas of the boreal forest in interior Alaska.
Nesting habitats, in order of importance, are:
Fresh-water: Tundra
Brackish Estuaries
Winters primarily in western North America from the Puget Sound area of Washington to the central valleys of California. Large numbers are also found in winter on the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana. Winter habitats may include fresh-water and coastal marshes as well as agricultural fields.
