Canada Geese are familiar residents in Calgary parks with their long black necks, large bodies and distinctive white chinstraps. Canada Geese are known for their distinct V-shaped patterns as they migrate between their breeding grounds in Canada and the Northern US and their overwintering grounds in the Southern US. With a good tailwind, they can fly an impressive 2400 km in just one day. While most Canada Geese overwinter in the US, there is an increasing resident population in Calgary that lives here year-round due to food availability. Look for Canada Geese in Calgary between March and October.
Canada Goose Facts
- Canada Geese mate for life
- Canada Goose babies are precocial, meaning that they hatch fully feathered, with their eyes open and capable of walking and foraging for food
- Female geese are less able to fly before they are about to lay eggs; the male will defend his mate and nest while she is vulnerable.
- Canada Geese are protected by the Migratory Bird Act and their active nests are federally protected.
It is important not to feed bread to wildlife; bread is harmful to Canada Geese as it is not a nutritionally complete food source. Feeding geese can encourage them to forego migration, can increase habituation and aggression towards people, and it can cause malformation in wing and feather development due to nutritional deficiencies.
If you find an injured or orphaned wild bird or animal in distress, please contact the Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation Society at 403-214-1312 for tips, instructions and advice, or look at the website at www.calgarywildlife.org for more information.
