Page 99 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WILDFOWL
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae Species Branta canadensis
Canada Goose
black bill
white rump black head
and neck
tail and wingtips white chinstrap
held high
ADULT

swan-shaped, brown
body (juvenile duller) pale
breast
IN FLIGHT
white under ADULT
tail

FLIGHT: strong, heavy but fast; with regular
wingbeats; often in “V”s.
riginally imported from
ONorth America as an
ornamental bird, the Canada Goose
is now well established in many areas
as a largely resident and rather tame black legs
bird, with little of the romance of “wild
geese”. Most have lost their migratory ADULT
instinct.A remarkably successful and adaptable
bird, it is sometimes considered a messy and
aggressive pest in town parks. It often mingles
with equally “artificial” groups of introduced
Greylags.The Canada Goose is, nevertheless,
a handsome bird.
VOICE Deep, loud, two-syllable,
rising ah-ronk!
NESTING Down-lined FLOCK ON WATER HONKING PARTIES
scrape on ground, often on Big flocks of Canada Geese are often seen Flocks of Canada Geese usually
small island; loosely on ornamental lakes in undisturbed estates. draw attention to themselves by
colonial; 5 or 6 eggs; their loud, honking calls.
1 brood;April–June. FAMILY GROUP
FEEDING Grazes on The male and the female Canada Geese are
grass and cereals, takes alike and the goslings soon look like duller
some aquatic plants. versions of their parents.
OCCURRENCE SIMILAR SPECIES
Mostly in UK, Scandinavia, and
Low Countries, on marshes, BARNACLE GOOSE GREYLAG GOOSE X
see p.98
reservoirs, and flooded pits or white face CANADA GOOSE HYBRID
duller head/face
surrounding grassland. Very few patterns
wild vagrants from North America black breast orange bill
are seen with other geese in often pinkish legs
W Europe in winter. smaller and
greyer
Seen in the UK
J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 90–110cm (35–43in) Wingspan 1.5–1.8m (5–6ft) Weight 4.3–5kg (9 1 ⁄2 –11lb)
Social Flocks Lifespan 20–25 years Status Localized
97