Fauna Report

The Branta canadensis, better known as the Canada Goose, is found in most of the United States and Canada. They feed in mountains, bays, lakes, marshes and wide grasslands. You would most likely see this bird migrating south when the weather gets cold. They fly in a large V formation and tend to migrate at a slow pace stopping often to rest. Geese fly in V formations because the leader of the group will cut the wind and the rest of the flosk will form a V to create less wind resistence. These Geese tend to be very loud and it is found that males can be very aggressive. There is not a large difference between male and female geese as they both have a long back and neck with a white stripe that is found under there chin. Their bodies are mostly light brown with a whitish color under there tail and black feet and bill. There bill has teeth, known as lamellae, which lines the outside of there bill and is used as a tool. The Canada Goose has adaptided to its enviroment as their light brown bodies camouflage them on the ground and there white bellies hide them from predators when they are flying.

These birds mate for life. The female goose lays about 4 to 10 whitish eggs between March and June. The nests are made of reeds, grasses, moss and is lined with down feathers and are located on the ground usualy by a body of water. The female tends to these eggs and turns them over frequently to heat them evenly. While the female takes care of her eggs the male keeps watch on the surrounding area for predators. If there is any trouble the male will call in warning. After a month in the egg the chicks will break out of the shell with an egg tooth on the top of there bill. It takes between one to two days for the chicks to completely break out of there shells. These chicks will learn how to fly when they are 40 to 70 days old.