Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about Canada geese. Fly over that subscribe button to keep up with new releases, and thank you to Savannah Nicosia for today’s request. Though they have the name Canada goose, these birds aren’t restricted to Canada. Heck, they aren’t even restricted to the places in which they naturally occur. Canada geese are native to North America, but they’re found in many other parts of the world as an introduced species. They can be seen flying over Europe, parts of Asia, and even sometimes in New Zealand and Australia. In most places they’ve been introduced, they’ve been introduced as a game bird. In the United States, they’re actually protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which means they can’t be killed except during regulated times which change based on location. This rule isn’t always followed, however, because many people find these birds to be a nuisance. To be fair, their poop can transmit diseases, so they aren’t always the most welcome guests, but, I dunno, they’re pretty cute - and they have a distinct face. Well… sort of.

There are a handful Canada goose subspecies that tend to get smaller and darker the more northward and westward they live (at least in North America). There is, however, a species of goose that looks convincingly similar to Canada geese called the cackling goose. Cackling geese tend to have a smaller build, stubbier necks and beaks, as well as a square shaped head when compared to Canada geese, but sometimes they can be quite difficult to tell apart - I mean, they were considered the same species until the early 2000s.

Canada geese themselves can range in size depending on the subspecies, but average about fifteen pounds (6.8 kilograms) in weight and have a five foot (1.5 meters) wingspan with males appearing just the teensiest bit bigger than females. Canada geese can live at least a decade in the wild, though the oldest recorded captive Canada goose lived to be nearly 80 years old! Canada geese love to eat grass and other plant materials like seeds, roots, and berries though they’ll also eat crustaceans and other arthropods, especially if they’re raising chicks. These birds generally mate for life and begin mating around two to three years of age. Many Canada geese migrate to their northern breeding grounds where the female builds a nest and the male protects her during incubation, however, recently, some Canada geese have made use of human made landscapes like grassy fields and agricultural lands to safely raise a family while remaining in one place year round; so at this point they don’t all migrate, and that’s thanks to us. Canada geese like large open areas, usually with a source of water, and without tall grass because it allows them to see all around without worrying too much about predators. The taller the vegetation around them, the easier it is for predators to hide within. Predators to Canada geese include foxes, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, and other birds like ravens, gulls, and crows.

If a nest is successful, an average of six chicks will hatch about a month after incubation and they leave the nest almost immediately. They’ll stay with their parents, and sometimes other groups of parents and their babies, until breeding season the following year. When they fly, they do so noisily. Most people can’t mistake the sound of a passing group of Canada geese because of their loud honking - which is typically a sound made by the males, who are also referred to as ganders. Canada geese are also visually distinct in their migrations because they fly in a V shape which is highly efficient and allows them to travel upwards of 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) in a single day without wearing themselves out.

For more facts on Canada geese, check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.