Species: Branta canadensis

Canada Goose

Species

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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

A goose of geographically variable size, averaging 64-117 cm long (smallest in the north); black head and neck marked with a broad white chin strap extending from ear to ear; plain large dark wings; black tail with U-shaped white band on rump (NGS 1983).

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Aves

Order

Anseriformes

Family

Anatidae

Genus

Branta

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.770965

Classification

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Waterfowl

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Anseriformes - Anatidae - Branta - (AOU 1983). B. hutchinsii is now recognized based on genetic studies, including recent work with mitochondrial DNA (AOU 2004). Mitochondrial DNA data indicate that Canada goose subspecies fall clearly into two sister groups, large-bodied and small-bodied, which share no mtDNA types (Van Wagner and Baker 1990, Quinn et al. 1991); in contrast, nuclear-gene-encoded protein evidence associates all the subspecies very closely (Van Wagner and Baker 1986, 1990).

Ecology and Life History

Short General Description

A goose.

Migration

true - true - true - Atlantic Flyway population consists of migrant geese and a resident population which generally migrates only short distances; migrant population breeds primarily in Labrador, northern Quebec, and James Bay area and winters south to North Carolina, western Pennsylvania, the western Carolinas, and Mississippi Flyway states.

Non-migrant

true

Locally Migrant

true

Food Comments

Grazes on marsh grasses, sprouts of winter wheat (spring), grain (fall); eats clover, cattails, bulrushes, algae, pond- weed, and other plants. Feeds in shallows, marshes, fields. Also eats mollusks and small crustaceans (Terres 1980). Subspecies OCCIDENTALIS of west coastal North America: exogenous sources of lipid and protein are important to energy and nutrient requirements of nesting geese (Condor 95:193-210).

Reproduction Comments

Clutch size 2-11 (usually 5-6). Incubation 25-30 days, by female (Harrison 1978). Nestlings precocial. Young tended by both adults, remain with adults until next spring. Some individuals begin breeding at 2 years, most by age 3 years.

Ecology Comments

In winter, flocks foraged up to 48 km from roost in Texas (Glazener 1946).

Length

114

Weight

4741

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

1996-11-20

Global Status Last Changed

1996-11-20

Other Status

LC - Least concern

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

H - 2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles) - H - Winters from the southern part of the breeding range through most of the United States and into northern Mexico. Introduced and established in Great Britain, Iceland, southern Scandinavia, and New Zealand. Accidental in Hawaii, Greater Antilles, and the Bahamas.

Global Range Code

Global Range Description

2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.770965