Canada Goose
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
The Canada Goose has a black head and neck with white stripe under the chin. It is is 90-100 cm long with a 160-175 cm wing span. Males weigh 3.5–6.5 kg, (8–14 pounds), and can be very aggressive in defending territory. A pair may mate for life (around 20 years). The female looks virtually identical but is slightly lighter at 3–5.5 kg (7–12 pounds), and has a different honk.
These birds feed mainly on plant material. When feeding in water, they submerge their heads and necks to reach aquatic plants, sometimes tipping forward like a dabbling duck. Flocks of these birds often feed on leftover cultivated grains in fields, especially during migration or in winter.
During the second year of their lives, Canada Geese find themselves a mate. The couple stays together all of their lives, but if one is killed, the other may find a new mate. The female lays 4-8 eggs and both parents protect the nest while the eggs incubate, but the female spends more time at the nest than the male. During that time, they lose their flight feathers, so that they cannot fly until after their eggs hatch. This period lasts for 25-28 days.
Adult geese are often seen leading their goslings in a line with one parent at the front, and the other at the back. They may also form groups of a number of goslings and a few adults, called crèches. The young do not leave their parents until after the spring migration, when they return to their birthplace.
This well-known species is native to North America. It breeds in Canada and the northern USA in a variety of habitats. However, the nest is usually located in an elevated area near water, sometimes on a beaver lodge. The Great Lakes region maintains a very large population of Canada Geese. Canada Geese can also be found in Europe and on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Siberia, eastern China, and throughout Japan.
Like most geese, it is naturally migratory, the wintering range being most of the USA. You may be familiar with the calls from large groups of Canada Geese flying in a V-shaped formation, heading south in the fall and north in the spring. In some areas, migration routes have changed due to changes in habitat and food sources. In mild climates, such as the Pacific Northwest, due to a lack of former predators, some of the population has become non-migratory.
Some migratory populations in temperate climates frequent cities as well, due to convenient, predator-free open spaces. These birds are considered by many to be a nuisance, mainly because of the large volume of feces they produce, and like other water fowl, they also frequently walk with their young across roads, creating traffic tie-ups. Some cities have begun extermination programs against them. Other solutions have included relocation and the use of a substance to coat the eggs to prevent maturation and hatching. Many geese are also killed in collisions with automobiles and, occasionally, aircraft.
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