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Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) — photo 1 of 5
© Lystopad CC BY-SA 4.0

Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Voice

Call

Doug Hynes

0:36

Call

Antonio Xeira

0:15

Call

Jonathon Jongsma

0:37

How to recognize it

  • Large goose, long neck and heavy body

  • Black head and neck with big white cheek patches

  • White chinstrap; brown body

  • Often in parks and near water; flies in a V formation

About the species

The Canada Goose stands out for its calm, heavy-looking shape and the strong contrast of a dark neck with pale markings on the head. On water and on land it moves with the same steady confidence, and in flight its loud, far-carrying honking is hard to miss.

It is heard most often overhead, especially when groups pass in a V. On the ground, males and females sound different, and when alarmed or defending a nest it can turn forceful fast, hissing first and then charging if the threat stays close.

It lives around rivers, lakes, marshes, and reservoirs, but it also adapts well to parks, fields, and other human-made places with water and grass. It mainly eats plant food and also takes grains and cereals; many populations migrate, while some stay put through the year in mild climates.

Where to find

  • Along pond edges, canal banks, and reservoirs — especially where short grass reaches the water, Canada Goose feeds by tearing at stems with quick jerks of the head.

  • On wide lawns by waterfronts and parking areas — early and late in the day, families graze slowly and stay close to the shore.

  • On little islands and raised hummocks in reeds — look for one sitting near the nest while a wary mate stands guard, hissing at anything that comes too close.

  • In migration season, watch the sky over the city — a loud V-shaped flock often gives itself away before it appears between the buildings.

You might also see

Sources