About Canada Goose – Appearance, biology, life cycle, habitat, diet, behavior

The Canada Goose has one of the most familiar bird faces across North America, although you won’t find too many of its fans across the region. Considered to be somewhat of a pest, the bird is a common problem for many communities, especially those settled near bodies of water.

Here is a quick rundown on Canada Geese and what you need to know about them:

Appearance

The Canada Goose has a black head and neck region with a distinctive white ‘chin strap’ feature. Their plumage does not vary widely between species – they can all be readily identified as geese. This goose grows to a size of about 30 to 40 inches with a 50 to 73-inch wingspan.

Biology

These birds will usually pair up once they get to two years of age. They stick to their mate for life unless one dies before the other. A typical egg-laying season will see the female produce two to nine eggs and incubate them for 24 to 40 days before they hatch.

Habitat

The Canada goose seeks out elevated areas close to water such as lakes, ponds, streams, or even beaver lodges. This type of habitat is widely fond throughout Canada and Northern America. During the winter months, however, they may be found further down toward the southern states and northern Mexico.

Diet

They are herbivores for the most part, even though they will occasionally eat fish and small insects. They will eat a wide variety of grass grains, and vegetation.

Behavior

As with most goose species, it is a migratory bird that spends its winter spread out over the United States. These are the birds you see flying in v-formation towards the end of spring as they seek breeding and feeding grounds. They can be highly aggressive when taking care of their young, which is one of the main reasons for their poor reputation among the communities that interact with them.


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