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Well, we’re a blog about Canada, and children all through the UK who go to parks with ponds or small lakes will be very familiar with the sight of Canada Geese. But, if these are, as their name describes — ‘Canadian’ geese, why are they in the UK? Do they fly here? Well keep reading and you may just find out!

The Canada Goose is a wild goose, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body. It is often called the Canadian Goose, though technically this isn’t its correct name.. being picky that is!

This species is native to North America. It breeds in Canada and the northern United States in a variety of habitats. Its nest is usually located in an elevated area near water such as streams, lakes, ponds and sometimes on a beaver lodge. Its eggs are laid in a shallow depression lined with plant material and down. The Great Lakes region maintains a very large population of Canada Geese.

By the early 20th century, over-hunting and loss of habitat in the late 1800s and early 1900s had resulted in a serious decline in the numbers of this bird in its native range. The Giant Canada Goose subspecies was believed to be extinct in the 1950s until, in 1962, a small flock was discovered wintering in Rochester, Minnesota, by Harold Hanson of the Illinois Natural History Survey. With improved game laws and habitat recreation and preservation programs, their populations have recovered in most of their range, although some local populations, especially of the subspecies occidentalis, may still be declining.

In recent years, Canada Geese populations in some areas have grown substantially, so much so that many consider them pests (for their droppings, the bacteria in their droppings, noise and confrontational behavior). This problem is partially due to the removal of natural predators and an abundance of safe, man-made bodies of water (such as on golf courses, public parks and beaches, and in planned communities).

Contrary to its normal migration routine, large flocks of Canada Geese have established permanent residence in the Chesapeake Bay and in Virginia’s James River regions, and in the Triangle area of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill), and nearby Hillsborough. Some flocks in Canada may even choose not to migrate, even during the winter, if food (such as leftovers from human) is constantly available throughout the season.

So, if they breed in Canada, surely that means they fly to and from Canada to the UK right? We see flocks of them flying around the country at certain points in the year right? Well, the answer is actually no.

Canada Geese have reached northern Europe naturally, as has been proved by ringing recoveries. The birds are of at least the subspecies parvipes, and possibly others. Canada Geese are also found naturally on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Siberia, eastern China, and throughout Japan. However, these geese were actually introduced into the UK. They were first introduced in Britain in the late 17th century as an addition to King James II’s waterfowl collection in St. James’s Park, their success though proved all too successful and now we find them all over the UK. Greater Canada Geese have also been introduced in Europe, and have established populations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Scandinavia. Semi-tame feral birds are common in parks, and have become a pest in some areas.

So what about these flocks of birds that form their famous V formations, flying from the pond down your road? Where do they go? The most likely answer is that soon after their young can fly they have moved a short distance to join up with a larger flock nearby.
Many birds, geese included, spend much of the year in large flocks but disperse when they need to find breeding sites an raise their young – your pool is probably ideal for a pair but not suitable for a winter flock.

Most recoveries of ringed Canada Geese in Britain have found that the individuals concerned were within about 30 miles of the place where they were originally caught (although some do move further – including some quite long distance movements within Britain to join moulting flocks, and a few movements to the continent).

So there you have it! The Canada Goose, maybe you’ll spot some of these not so unfamiliar birds while you’re over in Canada yourself!

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This entry was posted on Friday, July 23rd, 2010 at 9:10 am and is filed under Canadian Wildlife. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.