Staking Out Their Territory

I’ve heard them overhead, seen them in the distance, and TODAY my camera caught one as proof that it’s not an illusion – the Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are really back!

This goose/ gander (they are difficult to tell apart) has probably already mated as geese often do so before they return to their nesting areas. Geese are said to mate for life and--since they can live more than 20 years--they could be together for a long time. Canada geese live in flocks most of the year, except when they’re nesting.

The goose in this photo is standing on ice, guarding what he/she considers to be his/her pond. Most of the pond is still iced over, but there's a small melted area for swimming. It’s a tiny pond and the goose doesn’t want to share it with another couple.

But if I were the goose, I’d be much more worried about the gulls flying overhead than fretting about other geese. Gulls have an appetite for goose eggs.

Although called Canada geese, these birds live all over North America from the tundra to the Gulf Coast as well as in some places in Europe. They are large birds, ranging in length from 30 to 43 inches. (They tend to be larger in the southern part of their range. And believe it or not -- although I live in Canada--I live in in the southern part of it's range, the boundary being latitude 60°N.)

It's amazing, considering how graceful they appear when they fly overhead, that they can weigh as much as 20 pounds. They need long, strong wings to propel themselves through the air. And in fact, their wingspans vary from 50 to 68 inches and are powerful enough to use as weapons. It's not smart to anger a goose!