Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Ever-Present Canada Goose
By: Tom Berg
I remember the old saying: “Geese fly south for the winter.” Well, most geese do fly south for the winter, but depending on where you live it might not seem like it any more. Warmer winters in recent years have encouraged some Canada geese to remain farther north, and the lush green grass of suburban homes and golf courses makes finding food pretty easy for them year-round.
The Canada goose is a large species of waterfowl, with a typical wingspan of six feet. These birds are a dark brownish color on their back and wings, with a black neck and head. They have a lighter tan-colored breast and webbed feet. They have a distinctive white “chinstrap” on their head and a black bill, too.
As most people know, the female of the species is called a goose and the male is called a gander. They typically mate for life, and the female usually chooses an appropriate nest site near water. The female builds the nest, too, and the male guards both her and the nest. Canada geese commonly have only one brood per year where the female lays up to eight eggs, and both parents are very protective of the young once they hatch.
Canada geese can eat a variety of foods, but grasses, marsh sedges and rushes make up much of their diet in the warm weather months. During late summer and fall they eat many kinds of berries and agricultural grains in addition to grasses, and during the winter they eat seeds, more grasses and any remaining berries they can find.
During the fall, Canada geese living in the Arctic and Canada fly south to our southern states and even Mexico. As they migrate south they fly in their characteristic “V” formations. Many geese that spent the summer in the middle and northern parts of the USA move a little farther south and some geese in the central US no longer migrate at all. Find some open water during the winter and you will probably find Canada geese!
Have you had a great out experience? Join Global Outdoors and write a review to tell everyone about it! We’re building the home for trusted reviews of outdoor experiences, outfitters, and guides.
