Canada Goose

Depending on who you talk to, there are up to eleven subspecies of Canada Goose. The largest is the giant, with a wingspan of 6 feet and weighing up to 24 pounds. Among North American waterfowl, only the swans are larger. The smallest subspecies is the so-called "cackling" goose, which weighs only 2-4 pounds. The giant Canada Goose is native to the Great Plains. It is unique in being non-migratory, at least in comparison to the other subspecies. The other subspecies nest from southern Canada up to the high Arctic tundra, and travel long distances in their annual migration. If the winter is mild, the giant may not leave its nesting area at all.

When they do travel, Canada Geese stay in family groups. The parents fly with the young of the year. If you watch a large flock of geese come in for a landing, you can often see the different family units peel off in smaller clusters before they alight.

The family bond begins at the nest. Canada Geese mate for life. In Kansas, they begin to build their nest as early as mid-March. The nest is a large mound of vegetation such as grass and cattail stems lined with down. It is usually located within sight of water.

Canada Geese will also use nesting platforms provided by people. If you have a pond and want to make one of these, you can find plans by clicking here. 4 to 7 eggs make up a typical clutch and incubation is done solely by the female. The male (gander) zealously guards the nest and will attack any intruders. Incubation takes 25 to 30 days and the goslings are led to water within a day after hatching.

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. A careful ear will be able to put each voice with its rightful owner, which is mighty helpful since the male and female look alike.
• The goslings have a wheezy soft call that may be either in distinct parts - "wheep-wheep-wheep" - or a drawn out whinny - "wheee-oow". Anyone who has raised domestic geese will immediately recognize these calls. Just as in adolescent people, when the voice changes as the goose matures it will often "crack" and sound like a cross between a honk and a wheeze. This will be noticeable when the goslings are becoming fully feathered and starting to show the distinct black and white adult coloration.
• Loud, rapid calls will be made when geese are feeling threatened or excited. During territorial disputes or aggressive displays, some "bad grammar" will often be heard. When a flock gets ready to take off and fly away, they will usually all join in a raucous chorus. And a whole flock of geese makes quite a racket!