When do geese leave Colorado?

Canada Geese never fully leave Colorado: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid May, but some are still reported in every week, about 16% of checklists at the low.

When is the best time to see geese in Colorado?

The Canada Goose is reported most often in mid April, on about 43% of Colorado checklists.

Which geese are in Colorado?

Canada Goose, Cackling Goose, Snow Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, and Ross's Goose are reported regularly; the Canada Goose is the most common.

5 goose species in Colorado

When Do Geese Arrive in Colorado?

Photo: Tser, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, and Snow Geese are the geese you are most likely to see in Colorado. Canada Geese are in Colorado all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from late October, peak in mid April (43% of checklists), and fall back by mid May. In the quietest week (early July) they are still on about 16% of checklists.

When to look

Numbers buildOct 22-31late October

PeakApr 15-21mid April

Fall back byMay 15-21mid May

FewestJul 1-7early July

Best: mid April. Here all year; numbers build from late October and fall back by mid May. Peak: on about 43% of Colorado checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Juncommon
Juluncommon
Augcommon
Sepcommon
Octcommon
Novpeak season
Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Geese in Colorado, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Canada Goose	Oct 22-31	Oct 22-31	Apr 15-21	May 15-21	43%
Cackling Goose	Oct 15-21	Nov 1-7	Dec 1-7	Mar 8-14	22%
Snow Goose	Oct 22-31	Oct 22-31	Dec 1-7	Mar 1-7	4.2%
Greater White-fronted Goose	Nov 1-7	Nov 1-7	Dec 1-7	Mar 8-14	1.6%
Ross's Goose	Nov 1-7	Nov 1-7	Dec 1-7	Feb 8-14	1.5%

Canada Goose
Cackling Goose
Snow Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Colorado that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Colorado

Best counties for Canada Goose

Share of checklists at the peak

Delta CountyBest the second week of March · 110 checklists that week, 6,509 in all71%
Adams CountyBest mid March · 926 checklists that week, 44,639 in all66%
Rio Grande CountyBest late March · 193 checklists that week, 4,655 in all66%
Rio Blanco CountyBest the second week of March · 23 checklists that week, 2,806 in all66%
Hinsdale CountyBest late April · 63 checklists that week, 2,303 in all64%
Costilla CountyBest late February · 14 checklists that week, 1,323 in all63%

Common questions

When do geese arrive in Colorado?: Canada Geese are in Colorado all year, but most are here in winter: numbers build from late October, peak in mid April (43% of checklists), and fall back by mid May. In the quietest week (early July) they are still on about 16% of checklists.
When do geese leave Colorado?: Canada Geese never fully leave Colorado: numbers fall back below half their usual rate by mid May, but some are still reported in every week, about 16% of checklists at the low.
When is the best time to see geese in Colorado?: The Canada Goose is reported most often in mid April, on about 43% of Colorado checklists.
Which geese are in Colorado?: Canada Goose, Cackling Goose, Snow Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, and Ross's Goose are reported regularly; the Canada Goose is the most common.