Branta canadensis
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Mass
~3 kg
Habitat
Grasslands and meadows
Diet
Plants and grasses
How to recognize it
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.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
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.
