Monday, November 28, 2011

A Short Overview Of The Goose

By Robert Ford


From as recently as a few years ago, Canadian Geese have become too numerous not only in the urbanized regions but also in the suburbs of the country. The bird is basically black in color from the head to the neck, and the color fades from tan to cream over the breast. It has a brown back with a whitish strip under the chin.

An interesting fact about the Canada goose is that only a decade or two after people intentionally re-introduced the very large Canada goose to various places they were soon considered pests.

Among the many subspecies of the geese of Canada, eleven of them have been named. A few of these birds are distinguished because of their varying characters. Geese of darker color are common to western Canada, while smaller geese are primarily found in the north.

Once, the Canadian Geese used to migrate to the southern region during winter. But in recent times, they more commonly choose to migrate to the northern region particularly because of the availability of grain even during winter and autumn. This is due to the fact that cultivation patterns have been altered over the years. The threat due to hunting and varying weather conditions are also other reasons.

The geese in Canada shift to the north once the breeding period is over. The geese which have no nests and those birds which don't breed leave to the distant north by travelling a distance of about 1500 kilometers. The geese which normally do not migrate in winter approach the north by the latter half of summer. This is required to enable them to molt. Geese molt in thickly planted areas.

Each male and female goose selects its partner in accordance with its own size. It is impressive to note that the Canadian Geese mate for life. During the 1900s, the giant variant of the Canadian Geese reached extinction. Hence, they were bred in large numbers and introduced into many localities of the country. They became unexpectedly abundant and were included under the category of pests.

The Canada geese mostly live in marshes. They are also found on grasses and amidst grain-growing lands, preferably nearer to water. So, they can source feed for their young without any trouble. They can also keep a watch on preying animals and safeguard their young. Therefore, numerous flocks of geese are found amidst our social places, such as parks, lawns, airports and golf courses.

Foliates form the major food of Canada Geese. Flora found in marshes, a range of eelgrass, grass and fallen cabbage leaves provide a good source of food for them in springtime and summer. Seeds, grain and blueberries serve as their food in winter and during the autumnal fall. A noteworthy fact is that two main subspecies of Canada Geese have survived, having adapted well enough to their environment.

The Canadian Geese lay two to eight eggs at a time. Each egg is 3.3 inches long and 8.3 centimeters wide. The eggs are creamy white in color. They incubate for about 25 to 28 days and each egg hatches to bring a yellow hatchling with eyes open. The young one remains in the nest for about 45 to 50 days before it is independent.




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