Canada Goose
Colin Campbell (2001)

Branta canadensis

The Canada goose (Branta Canadensis) is in the order Anseriformes and belongs to the family Anatidae. It is one of the most well known of all the sea geese. It is the most common of all wild goose species kept in captivity and is often seen in the wild. The legendary “V” formation of Canada geese flying is easily recognizable and a sign of the change of the seasons.

There are 11 subspecies and one extinct subspecies of this goose that vary in a great deal of size, and in some cases, markings. Members of these groups range in size from the largest of all geese, the deep-voiced honkers, to the smallest, with high-pitched cackling voices. The weights of the various races from 1.1 to 8 kg and their wingspreads from about 90 cm to 2 m. Their underparts vary in color from light pearl-gray to chestnut, and even blackish brown. Variations in body proportions, particularly the relative length of the neck, the body shape, and the body stance, further distinguish the different races. In general, the larger the size of the bird, the longer the neck and the more elongated the body; the smaller races have very short necks and compact, almost blocky bodies. However, the most identifiable field mark of a Canada goose is the whitish cheek patches and the black head, crown, and neck.

Unlike many species of birds, the gender of Canada geese cannot be determined visually. The only exception is when dealing with a mated pair-most easily discerned during mating season. The larger bird is usually the gander (male). In absence of these clues, gender determination requires inserting one’s finger into their cloacal vent to detect the presence (male), or absence, of protruding reproductive organs.

The wild range is large, breeding from the Aleutian Islands south into the United States. They breed in a variety of habitats near water, including shores of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Canada geese are also year round breeding residents in many southern states and have been introduced into Britain, parts of Europe and New Zealand. They feed both in marsh and upland habitats, including meadow, pasture, and agricultural land.

Canada geese are most common in the cattail and bulrush marshes of eastern Oregon. They are a games species in Oregon and only about 4,000 pairs breed here. Canada geese can be seen on campus at Willamette University in the winter and fall and they are very prevalent in the park area in front of the Oregon Prison on State Street.

Canada geese most actively feed during the early morning and late afternoon. They are grazers and eat a variety of plants such as marsh grass, berries, sprouting wheat, bulrush, glasswort, salt brush, cattails, not to mention turf grass. The diet of geese that live in coastal areas can also include mollusks and small crustaceans. In the fall and winter, geese sometimes eat leftover grain that remains in farmers’ fields; they are especially fond of corn. The leading killers of these birds are recreational and survival hunters.

Canada Geese are very vocal creatures and their language is not hard to pick up if you pay close attention. Aside from vocalizations, geese have a whole vocabulary of "body language" that is very interesting to observe also. The gander has a slower, low-pitched “ahonk” while the goose’s voice is a much quicker and higher-pitched “hink”. Mated pairs will greet each other by alternating their calls so rapidly that it seems like only one is talking. The goslings have a wheezy soft call that may be either in distinct parts- “wheep-wheep-wheep” – or a drawn out whinny – “whee-oow’. Loud, rapid calls will be made when geese are feeling threatened or excited. When a flock gets ready to take off and fly away, they will usually all join in a raucous chorus.

Migration routes are passed on from generation to generation, parent geese teaching their children. Canada geese are well known for their V-shaped flight pattern, especially during their spring and fall migrations. They migrate by day or by night and are capable of traveling thousands of miles at a time. They use landmarks and even stars to guide them to their destination.

In the Spring, when they arrive at their nesting place, the yearlings (geese hatched the year before) leave their parents and join yearlings from other families. Canada geese usually build their nests on the ground near water. A site is chosen by the female with good visibility that allows her to see intruders approaching. Nests are commonly built on small islands, pond- and riverbanks and sometimes on muskrat and beaver houses. They have also been seen using the nests of other birds such as ospreys, hawks, owls and herons. If possible, a pair will nest in the same spot every year. The nest is built by the female of grasses, twigs, bark, leaves and mosses. The outer edge of the nest can range in size anywhere from 15 to 44 inches across. The male is very protective of his mate on the nest. With hissing and wings beating he will chase away anyone who comes near. The female will get off the nest for short periods to eat and swim. She will also get up every so often to inspect the eggs, move them gently with her beak and arrange the feathery lining of the nest.

In most of the US, eggs are laid in early March and a bit later in the cooler northern areas. In the Artic they are laid in early June. The female will typically lay between 5-6 cream colored eggs. They are incubated for 25-30 days with the male standing guard. When the baby geese (goslings) hatch they weigh only 3-4 oz. Within 24 hours of hatching, their parents take them to the safety of water. From their first day, baby geese are excellent swimmers and can swim underwater distances of 30 to 40 ft. Goslings often cuddle with their siblings for warmth and security. When several new families have hatched in the same area, the parents sometimes bring the goslings together and the young are taken care of as a group. These groups are called "creches." People often mistake these large groups as belonging to one set of parents.

Field Notes:
The Canada goose that I looked at was found in the Willamette University collection. It is a male and it was caught on November 13th, 1919. The beak is a dark black color and the dorsal part of the head is also black. It had a white underside on the head and the color went up towards the cheek area. The neck is black and the dorsal part of the body is different shades of brown. The underside of the body is light beige with tints of white. The ends of the wings feathers are darker shades of brown and towards the end of the body the color changes to shades of black with a white band before the tail. The tail feathers are black to dark brown. The body length is 81.5 cm, tail length is 15.5 cm, the feet are 18 cm, wing length is 44 cm, eye length is 1.2 cm, beak is 5.1 cm, from the tip of the beak to the end of the neck is 22.5 cm, body width is 20.2 cm, and the body depth is 9.5 cm.

Csuti B, Kimerling J, O’Neil T, Shaughnessy M, Gaines E, Huso M. 1997. Atlas of Oregon Wildlife. Corvallis: OSU Press.

Grzimek B. 1975. Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia 7 Birds 1. New York: VanNostrand Reinhold Co..

Nehls H. 1981. Familiar birds of the northwest. Portland: Portland Audubon Society.

Udvardy M. 1977. National Audubon society field guide to North American birds. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc.

http://home.att.net/%7EdanCowell/canada.html

http://www.gpnc.org/canada.htm