Canada geese Dorothy Dobbie
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n the springtime, Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are everywhere in towns and cities, but mostly were there is water nearby. They waddle here and there, seemingly unaware of our human presence, that is until we get too close. Then, if there are goslings involved, they can be quite aggressive. They may run at you, wings wide and menacing, while they honk and hiss and arrange their necks in a snake-like posture, bobbing their heads up and down. They are heavy birds, and strong. Their wings could break a bone if they connect the right way and their bites are painful and bruising. They also use their feet in the attack. If you are threatened by one, stay calm, stare it down. One goose will probably not pose a major threat, but they can call for reinforcements that could be dangerous. It is not just humans that are attacked. In one instance a smaller Canada goose inadvertently (one hopes) invaded the territory of another bird. It attacked the smaller bird
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Scan me Hinterland Who’s Who on Canadian Geese https://www.nfb.ca/film/hinterland_whos_who_ canada_goose/
and ultimately pinned its head in some mud until the smaller bird suffocated. Canada geese may have been forced to take this aggressive stand because they lose their flight feathers around the time their eggs hatch, so they can’t fly from danger. They regain their flight feathers about the time their goslings are ready to learn to fly. These aggressive tendencies are a demonstration of their family feelings. These intelligent birds mate for life and will visibly mourn a lost spouse if one of them is killed. There are numerous stories of these animals haunting a space where a mate was Issue 4
last seen. Some will mate again, but not all. Their nests are constructed on the ground, preferably near water and on a knoll or rise that gives them a view of their surroundings. The female goose lays two to nine eggs, which she cares for pretty much full time, taking only a little time out to eat or attend to other matters. Some will take a break all at once, covering her eggs with bits of grass and down, then going off with her mate, who has been faithfully guarding her and the nest, for a refreshing bath and something to eat. Otherwise they will take several shorter breaks of 10 minutes or so. And she doesn’t just sit there. She flips her eggs over from time to time to make sure they are warm on all sides. Even after the goslings, which she can communicate with in the egg, are hatched, she must warm them under her wings every 15 minutes. Being a female Canada goose is a big job, especially since the young remain at home for about a year. localgardener.net
