Our Wild Neighbors
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
A regular visitor that often arrives in a flock!
© Musée de la nature et des sciences de Sherbrooke
Description of the animal
- Large bird, member of the Anatidae family, which includes geese, swans, and ducks.
- White cheeks and throat, black neck, head, and beak.
- Brownish-grey feathers on body with lighter ribbons throughout.
- White lower abdomen and rump, black tail.
Habitat and needs
- Can live in diverse habitats, including cities.
- Breeds throughout Canada, except in the extreme Arctic.
- Builds its nest on the ground, near water, preferably on a small island.
- Mates with a partner for life!
- Eats soft shoots, grass stems, clover, watercress, and aquatic plants.
- Goslings require a protein-rich diet for proper development. They pick at aquatic vegetation to capture insects, small crustaceans, and mollusks.
- Migrates in groups, adopting a “V” flying formation and emitting honking calls.
Relationship
- In Quebec, in French, it is also called an “outarde.”
- The Canada goose was introduced in Europe.
- It is hunted for its delicious meat.
- In large numbers, Canada geese are more likely to transmit diseases or parasites.
- The Canada goose’s feces can contribute to water pollution.
- This bird can negatively affect harvests, since it eats cereal crops.
- During migration, flocks of geese sometimes damage airplanes during take-offs and landings.
Living with them
- Avoid feeding the Canada goose.
- Hunting is subject to the Migratory Birds Convention Act, which specifies hunting locations, time of year, and the bag limit.
- To prevent a Canada goose invasion, you can:
- Install physical barriers around water sources, such as rocks or bushes for example. Potential Canada goose predators can wait there in ambush, preventing the goose from accessing grassy feeding areas.
- Stop mowing the grass around ponds. The Canada goose will have more difficulty finding new shoots.
Participating cities where this animal has been seen
- Sherbrooke, Québec (Get more info)
- Regina, Saskatchewan (Get more info)
- Vernon, British Columbia
- Moncton, New Brunswick (Get more info)