Canada Geese Essay

904 Words4 Pages
Canada Geese: A Nuisance Species What many people in Oklahoma refer to as the Canadian Goose is actually named the Canada Goose. The Linnaean taxonomic term for this species is Branta canadensis, having been separated from the closely related, yet smaller, Branta hutchinsii, or the Cackling Goose. The species of Canada Geese is characterized by almost completely black plumage, with the exception of their neck. This distinguishes the species from the Cackling Goose, which is grayer in color (Mobile Reference 2009). In general, the geese found in Oklahoma are of the Giant Canada variety, which is the largest variety of Canada Goose. There is not much variation between the geese that migrate from northern North America for the winter and the resident geese of Oklahoma. All geese found in Oklahoma have black legs, feet, necks, and wings. They have gray-brown to dark brown outer feathers and have white down on the underside of their body (Canada Goose 2011). There is no distinct difference between the male and female Canada Goose, only that the female is slightly smaller in size. Canada Geese typically mate for life; they will mate in the winter and will then nest in the spring time (Canada Goose 2011). Canada Geese, like most goose and duck breeds, live together as a family unit after the goslings hatch. Canada Geese are capable of flight as soon as 40 days after hatching. Adult male Canada Geese can grow to be 15 pounds, while smaller birds can be as light as 3 pounds (Canada Goose 2011). The average lifespan of a Canada Goose in the wild is 22-24 years. Geese are social creatures and will commonly come up to a human, whether in defense of their territory or in search of food (Sibley, D.A. 2000). Their general habitat throughout North America is always near some body of water, and Canada Geese have shown that they can survive in climates from tundra to temperate

More about Canada Geese Essay

Open Document