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Canada Goose

Branta canadensisOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)
Codes: Common Name: CANG Scientific Name: BRACAN ITIS Taxonomic No.: 174999
Least Concern
 
Canada Goose
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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Jelly Jar Jelly Feeder
The orange "blossum" replaces the lid of a jelly jar.
Attract Orioles with Fruit
Sliced orange secures easily to the center of the ring. Low cost.
Attract with Nectar
Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
Charm and Attraction
Lovely copper umbrella keeps fruit cool and looks great.

Overview

Canada Goose: Large, long-necked goose with dark upperparts and paler underparts grading to white on vent. The head and neck are black with white chin bar. Body is usually gray-brown, although varies from dark brown to gray in different races. White semi-circle above black tail is visible in flight.

Range and Habitat

Canada Goose: Breeds from Alaska east to Baffin Island and south to California, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Spends winters south to northern Mexico and the Gulf coast.; also a widespread resident in city parks and on reservoirs. Preferred habitats include lakes, bays, rivers, marshes, and stubble fields.

Topo Map: Duck-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"cackle" or "honk-a-lonk"

Interesting Facts

 At least 11 subspecies of Canada Goose have been recognized and as of 2004 some of the smaller subspecies were designated their own species—the Cackling Goose.

 While their eggs are incubating females lose their flight feathers, so they cannot fly until after their eggs hatch.

 Researchers have identified about 13 different calls from Canada Geese. These vary including loud greeting/alarm calls and soft sounds from feeding geese.

 A group of geese has many collective nouns, including a "blizzard", "chevron", "knot", "plump", and "string" of geese.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Splitbar
Range Map for Canada Goose

Related Birds

Brant
Greater White-fronted Goose
Barnacle Goose
Pink-footed Goose
.
Family Geese (Anatidae)_blue
Species Branta canadensis
Length25 - 45 Inches
Wingspan75 Inches

Canada Goose

Canada Goose: Large, long-necked goose with dark upperparts and paler underparts grading to white on vent. The head and neck are black with white chin bar. Body is usually gray-brown, although varies from dark brown to gray in different races. White semi-circle above black tail is visible in flight.

● Song: "cackle" or "honk-a-lonk"

● Foraging & Feeding: Canada Goose: Eats a variety of grass when foraging terrestrially; also feeds on agricultural crops such as wheat, beans, rice, and corn. Sometimes tips like puddle ducks when feeding on aquatic plants such as wild celery, sea lettuce, and sago pondweed.

● Breeding & nesting: Canada Goose: Four to seven white eggs are laid in a large nest made of grass and moss, lined with down, and built on the ground near water or on a muskrat lodge; sometimes uses an abandoned Osprey or Bald Eagle nest in a tree. Incubation ranges from 25 to 30 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Canada Goose: Brant is smaller, has black breast, white flanks, small white neck patch, and lacks white cheek patch.

Flight Pattern

Strong deep wing beats., Flies in V formation in migration., Strong powerful direct flight.
Canada Goose Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Canada Goose: Breeds from Alaska east to Baffin Island and south to California, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Spends winters south to northern Mexico and the Gulf coast.; also a widespread resident in city parks and on reservoirs. Preferred habitats include lakes, bays, rivers, marshes, and stubble fields.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationCommon to abundant
MigrationMigratory
Weight134.4 Ounces
Duck-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
UpperpartsX
Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.
ChinX
The area of the face just below the bill.
VentX
Birds do not have two separate cavities for excrement and reproduction like humans do. In birds, there is one single entrance/exit that suits both functions called the vent, cloaca or anus.
Flight feathersX
Located on the wing, and collectively called remiges (singular, remex). The long stiff feathers are subdivided into two major groups based on the location and are called primaries and secondaries.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX