Canada Goose

Description:

The Canada goose (Branta canadensis) is a large wild goose species with a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brown body. Native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, it also migrates to northern Europe. It has been introduced to Britain, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands.Like most geese, the Canada goose is primarily herbivorous and normally migratory; it tends to be found on or close to fresh water.The black head and neck with a white "chinstrap" distinguish the Canada goose from all other goose species, with the exception of the cackling goose and barnacle goose (the latter, however, has a black breast and gray rather than brownish body plumage). There are seven subspecies of this bird, of widely varying sizes and plumage details, but all are recognizable as Canada geese. Canada geese range from 30 to 43 inch in length and has a 50–73 in wingspan. Among standard measurements, the wing chord can range from 15 to 22 in, the tarsus can range from 2.7 to 4.2 in and the bill can range from 1.6 to 2.7 in. The largest subspecies is the B. c. maxima, or the "giant Canada goose", and the smallest (with the separation of the cackling goose group) is B. c. parvipes, or the "lesser Canada goose". An exceptionally large male of race B. c. maxima, which rarely exceed 18 lb, weighed 24 lb and had a wingspan of 7.3 ft. This specimen is the largest wild goose ever recorded of any species.

Habitat:

This species is native to North America. It breeds in Canada and the northern United States in a variety of habitats. The Great Lakes region maintains a very large population of Canada geese. Canada geese occur year-round in the southern part of their breeding range, including most of the eastern seaboard and the Pacific coast. Between California and South Carolina in the southern United States and northern Mexico, Canada geese are primarily present as migrants from further north during the winter. By the early 20th century, over-hunting and loss of habitat in the late 19th century and early 20th century had resulted in a serious decline in the numbers of this bird in its native range. The giant Canada goose subspecies was believed to be extinct in the 1950s until, in 1962, a small flock was discovered wintering in Rochester, Minnesota, by Harold Hanson of the Illinois Natural History Survey. In 1964, the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center was built near Jamestown. Its first director, Harvey K. Nelson, talked Forrest Lee into leaving Minnesota. Forrest Lee would head the center’s Canada goose production and restoration program. Forrest soon had 64 pens with 64 breeding pairs of screened, high-quality birds.

Notes:

Behavior and Diet: Like most geese, the Canada goose is naturally migratory with the wintering range being most of the United States. The calls overhead from large groups of Canada geese flying in V-shaped formation signal the transitions into spring and autumn. In some areas, migration routes have changed due to changes in habitat and food sources. In mild climates from California to the Great Lakes, some of the population has become non-migratory due to adequate winter food supply and a lack of former predators.[citation needed] Canada geese are primarily herbivores, although they sometimes eat small insects and fish. Their diet includes green vegetation and grains. The Canada goose eats a variety of grasses when on land. It feeds by grasping a blade of grass with the bill, then tearing it with a jerk of the head. The Canada goose also eats beans and grains such as wheat, rice, and corn when they are available. In the water, it feeds from silt at the bottom of the body of water. It also feeds on aquatic plants, such as seaweeds. In urban areas, they are also known to pick food out of garbage bins.