Canada Geese

In some places, the highly adaptable Canada goose is so successful and numerous that people consider the species a nuisance. One reason: They can produce a LOT of poop. Just 50 Canada geese can generate more than two tons of manure in one year! The birds' waste can cause poor water quality where they live. Another problem caused by too many geese is that they eat a lot, causing harm to local farm crops.Some northern populations of Canada geese migrate south when it gets cold. They often fly in a familiar "V" formation. This shape helps them to use less energy because each bird shares the air current created by the wings of the bird in front of it. As they fly, they call to each other with loud honks.

Canada geese usually graze together in fields, eating grasses, sedges, grains, and berries. Their bills have serrated edges, which helps them cut tough grass stems. These birds also feast on aquatic vegetation. When eating in water, they "tip up," reaching underwater and tearing water plants with their heads beneath the surface and their rear ends sticking up in the air.

Male geese fight one another to win a particular female. They use their wings and bills in the struggle. The winning male gets the female as a mate, and the pair may stay together for life.

The female of the pair picks a good spot to make her nest. She finds a place—always near water—which is isolated and a little higher than anything right around it. Often the nest is built on a little island in a marshy area. The higher spots make it easier for the geese to see any approaching danger, such as crows or skunks, which might eat the birds' eggs.

The female makes her nest of dry grasses, twigs, and other plant material. She uses her body to shape the nest into a bowl. As a finishing touch, she lines it with downy feathers, which help keep the two to eight eggs she lays the right temperature. The female incubates the eggs while the male guards the nest and his mate from any intruders. 

The baby geese, called goslings, take about a month to hatch. Babies are covered with soft feathers called down. They hatch with their eyes open and will leave the nest within 24 hours, following their parents. 

Goslings can swim right away. The family stays together, and both parents take care of their young—feeding and guarding them from danger. In less than two months, the goslings grow adult feathers and learn to fly. FAST FACTS
The scientific name of the Canada goose is Branta Canadensis.

In the wild, a Canada goose may live to be 24 years old. In captivity, the oldest goose on record lived 42 years.

A group of birds is called a flock.

With the right wind conditions, a flock of Canada geese can fly 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) in 24 hours.A Canada goose is a big bird, measuring from 30 to 43 inches (76 to 109 centimeters) long. Its wingspan, from wingtip to wingtip, ranges from 4.2 feet to 5.6 feet (1.3 to 1.7 meters). It weighs from 6.6 to 19.8 pounds (3 to 9 kilograms).There are several subspecies of Canada geese. Generally, those that live farther north are smaller than their southern counterparts. The more western subspecies tend to be the darkest in color.

Canada geese have good eyesight. They also hear well.In the cold, a Canada goose fluffs out its feathers. The air trapped in the spaces helps insulate the bird, keeping it warmer. When the weather is hot, the bird flattens its feathers against its body as much as possible. This reduces trapped air,  keeping the birds cooler.

It is legal to hunt Canada geese. Many people enjoy Canada geese live in most parts of the United States and Canada. Always near water, the birds are equally comfortable living in parks and golf courses, suburbs and farms, airports and neighborhoods, as well as natural grasslands, scrubland, and tundra.