Geese are among the most familiar birds in the world, instantly recognizable by their long necks, honking calls, and seasonal migrations. Yet, despite their ubiquity, they are often overlooked when we talk about bird diversity. All geese share a common ancestry and certain key traits, such as their strong family bonds and herbivorous diet.
Geese are world-renowned for their strong family bonds, often depicted in fable and folk tale illustrations as a “gaggle” of happily united adults followed by a long line of waddling little ones. Most species of geese are monogamous, and once paired, geese will typically stay together, raising multiple broods of offspring over their lifetimes. These monogamous bonds ensure that both parents are invested in raising their young, a key factor in the success of their breeding strategy.
CANADIAN GOOSE FAMILY
The Anatidae family comprises the ducks and swans, and geese, and is one of the most widespread bird families, found on every continent except Antarctica. Geese belong to the subfamily Anserinae, which comprises around 20 species across the world. Our familiarity with this waterfowl group of birds tends to diminish our appreciation of them, but geese are fascinating creatures. True geese are classed in either the Anser or Branta genera. Geese in the Anser genus are often referred to as “the gray and white geese” due to their overall plumage colors and typically have splashes of color in the form of pink, orange, or yellow bills and legs. These geese typically inhabit wetlands, grasslands and tundra. The Branta genus are collectively referred to as “the black geese” usually contrasted with white markings, and includes the typically dark, black or brown birds more associated with coastal regions, islands, and high-altitude habitats.
PRECOCIAL EGYPTIAN GEESE
Most geese species build large nests made of grasses, reeds, and down feathers either near or on the water, and will usually lay a clutch of 3-6 eggs, which are incubated for about 25 to 30 days. During this time, the male remains close by, guarding the nest and protecting the female and her precious hoard from predators. Barnacle geese, however, inhabit the northern cold regions of the Arctic and higher European latitudes. They build their nests on high rocky cliffs, a survival strategy brought about by their environment of course, having little choice, but also to evade predators like the Arctic foxes and large gulls. This means that their goslings can’t just splash into the nearby see, though—instead, they must leap into the unknown, some 24–48hrs after hatching, often falling as far as 100 feet before landing on the tundra below. Thanks to their extremely soft down and light bodies, they tend to bounce and are (usually) fine.
Once goslings hatch, the parents are highly protective. This is where the strong family structure really comes into play. Both parents actively participate in the care and protection of the young. Like most water birds, goslings are born precocial, that is, able to walk and swim shortly after hatching, with an innate ability to find their own food almost immediately. But despite this startling instant independence, they remain with their parents for several months, watching and learning from the best as the family unit forages and navigates their environment together. Some species like the Snow goose and Barnacle goose form crèches, where multiple families of goslings come together under the watchful eyes of a few adults, a strategy important for preparing the young geese for flock life.
Perhaps the most well-known species in the geese family are the Snow goose and the Canada goose, with global estimates of around 15–20 million and 5–7 million individuals respectively. Both species are migratory, traveling thousands of miles between their breeding and wintering grounds.
Canada geese with their distinctive black head and neck with a white chinstrap are one of the most recognizable geese species, native to North America but introduced to Europe in the 17th century by King Charles II for ornamental purposes, and to New Zealand in 1905 from North America for hunting. It didn’t take long for wild populations to take hold; they are now considered a pest; being an island nation, the environmental damage that has ensued due to their sheer numbers has led to New Zealand removing any conservation protections and their populations are now managed through an annual culling program.
SNOW GEESE
Snow geese are famed for their huge flocks, a spectacular sight numbering in the hundreds of thousands. They follow four major flyways across North America, with key stopover and wintering sites where birdwatchers can witness their breathtaking mass gatherings. The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico is one of the best locations in the world to see this, and where Owen took his photos of these beautiful birds in both 2006 and 2011.
EGYPTIAN GOOSE
Despite its name, the Egyptian goose is more closely related to shelducks than true geese. It has striking chestnut, cream, brown plumage and distinctive eye markings. Native to Africa, it has also established feral populations in Europe and the U.S. They are highly territorial, often seen aggressively defending their nesting sites from intruders. This must be an interesting sight, as, unlike many geese that nest near water, Egyptian geese sometimes nest in trees, using abandoned nests of other birds.
AFRICAN PYGMY GOOSE
As the name suggests, African Pygmy Goose are one of the smallest waterfowl species, weighing just 10-12 ounces. They have a compact body with iridescent green and chestnut plumage and a bright yellow bill, and their preferred habitat is slow-moving rivers, swamps, and lagoons with dense vegetation. Like their similarly exotically named cousins, they nest in tree hollows near water rather than on the ground.
HAWAIIAN GOOSE (NĒNĒ)
The Hawaiian Goose, or Nēnē (which means “soft call” after their gentle, murmuring vocalizations), is Hawaiʻi’s state bird and the only goose species native to the Hawaiian Islands. A close relative of the Canada goose, it has adapted to Hawaiʻi’s unique volcanic landscapes and does not migrate. They have only partially webbed feet, allowing them to walk on the rough lava flows of their habitat, living out their lives on volcanic slopes, grasslands, and shrublands, rather than needing open water to thrive. As with many species’ endemic to Hawai’i, they have had their fair share of perils and almost became extinct in the 1950s, when only 30 individuals remained due to hunting and habitat loss, and predation by introduced species such as mongooses, cats, and rats. Thankfully, they are now doing well: successful conservation and captive breeding programs led by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust and Hawaiian conservation groups have seen their numbers bounce back to around 3,000–3,500 individuals—still vulnerable but recovering.
