Canada goose

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The Canada goose has about 12 subspecies, which have minor differences regarding the colouration of the plumage, but vary considerably in size and weight, the largest being the giant Canada goose (Branta c. maxima) with a body-weight of 6.5 kg in males and 5.5 kg in females, and the smallest the Aleutian (Branta c. leucopareia) and cackling (Branta c. minima) Canada geese with body-weights of slightly below 2 kg.

Bill and feet are black. The plumage of the head and neck is black except for a white chin strap extending from the throat to behind the eyes. Depending of subspecies, there may be a white band around the lower neck. Upper parts of the body and wings are darker grey, the breast is somewhat lighter. Lower belly and vent are white, the rump is black and the tail is black with white coverts.

4 to 6 white or creamy-white eggs are laid in a nest usually located near water, which are incubated exclusively by the female for 24-28 days.

The Canada goose’s food includes pond plants, tubers, roots and algae, grasses, short reed grasses, berries, seed, crops like clover, alfalfa, wheat, rye, corn, barley, oats and grain left in fields after the harvest.

Did you know?
That these geese are also renowned for their V-shaped flight formation? The front position is rotated since flying in front consumes the most energy.

Factsheet
Class	AVES
Order	ANSERIFORMES
Suborder	ANSERES
Family	ANATIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Branta canadensis
Name (English)	Canada goose
Name (French)	Bernache du Canada
Name (German)	Kanadagans
Name (Spanish)	Barnacla canadiense
Local names	Estonian: Kanada lagle Finnish: Kanadanhi Swedish: Kanadagås
CITES Status	Appendix I (subspecies leucopareia only)
CMS Status	Appendix II (as Anatidae spp.) INVASIVE SPECIES!

Photo Copyright by
Andreas Trepte

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Breeds in Canada, Alaska (USA), and parts of the northern USA, and winters in southern North America, including Mexico. Vagrants may be seen in Eastern Asia and on Pacific Islands. Introduced populations exist in North America south of the natural breeding range and in many European countries.
Habitat	Grassland (tundra), wetlands (on the coast and inland), arable land, city parks.
Wild population	Global population large, estimates range from 1,000,000 to 10,000,000.
Zoo population	1023 reported to ISIS (2006). This includes unidentified subspecies and subspecific hybrids as well as the following subspecies: canadensis, fulva, hutchinsii, maxima, minima, moffitti, occidentalis,and parvipes.

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 17 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Mila Zinkova

Why do zoos keep this animal

The Canada goose is kept for educational reasons, often in mixed exhibits for North American fauna together with ungulates, cranes and other waterfowl. Outside the breeding season it may be kept in walk-thru exhibits, allowing for close encounters with the public. It is this a good ambassador species for wetland conservation. In Europe it may also serve as a good example of an invasive species. In North America, and parts of Europe, many Canada geese seen in zoos are not birds "kept" by the zoo, but free-flying birds having chosen the zoo as their habitat.

How this animal should be kept

Unless a lot of space is available allowing the birds to disperse, pairs should be separated during the breeding season in an enclosure or aviary with a land surface of 100 to 200 m² and a water surface of 10 to 50 m². For the rest of the year, the geese may be kept in larger social groups. If kept in multispecies waterfowl exhibits, the species should be selected in a way to avoid hybridisation, in particular, barnacle geese and Canada geese should not be kept in the same enclosure. Note that WAZA has adopted the policy of outphasing pinioning, and that several countries prohibit the use of surgical methods for flight restraint. Canada geese are an invasive species having built up population of 80'000 birds in the United Kingdom and 60'000+ in Scandinavia, and causing widespread agricultural conflicts.

Canada geese need access to grass for food. Supplementary feeding , in the form of pellets can be a substitute in the winter months, when grass levels are low. All food stored must be kept in a dry condition. If it becomes damp it should not be used. It is important that the food fed is fresh. If food is fed into water, only as much as will be readily eaten should be given. All feed containers in pens should be cleaned regularly. Grit should be available on a regular basis, and additional limestone grit should be fed on available annually, just prior to the egg-laying season.