Branta canadensis

Description

The Canada goose has a mostly brown body, a black neck and head, and a white chin and cheek patch.

Voice

This goose has a very familiar honk.

Breeding

March to June

Habitat

Canada geese like to live in lakes, ponds, bays, marshes, and fields. Many people consider them a nuisance, because they will stay on golf courses and in parks.

Diet

Canada geese eat grass,seeds, and marsh and agricultural plants. They also eat a small amount of insects, mollusks, and crustaceans.

Range

You can find Canada geese in Canada during the summer and in the southwestern United States during the winter. They live year-round in the rest of the United States.

Other Useful Information

Canada geese are extremely social and usually stay in large groups.

Similar Species

The Canada goose is a unique looking bird, but there are several subspecies of Canada geese. The main difference between subspecies is size. Richardson's is the smallest subspecies and common or Atlantic is the largest. The lesser Canada goose is somewhere in the middle.