Canada Goose 218972 220673039 2008-06-21T00:31:55Z Discospinster 82432 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/90.192.141.24|90.192.141.24]] to last version by SashatoBot (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) {{for|the outerwear manufacturer|Canada Goose (clothing)}} {{Taxobox | name = Canada Goose | status = LC | status_system = iucn3.1 | status_ref = <ref>{{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2006|id=47149|title=Branta canadensis|downloaded=11 May 2006}}</ref> | image = Canada-Goose-Szmurlo.jpg| image_width = 240px | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Bird|Aves]] | ordo = [[Anseriformes]] | familia = [[Anatidae]] | genus = ''[[Branta]]'' | species = '''''B. canadensis''''' | binomial = ''Branta canadensis'' | binomial_authority = ([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758) | range_map = Branta canadensis map.png | range_map_width = 240px | range_map_caption = Canada Goose distribution, including native (dark tones) and introduced (light tones) populations<br />Canada Goose summer: yellow<br />Canada Goose all year: green<br />Canada Goose winter: blue<br />[[Cackling Goose]] summer: pink | subdivision_ranks = [[Subspecies]] | subdivision = * ''B. c. occidentalis''<br /><small>Dusky Canada Goose</small> * ''B. c. fulva''<br /><small>Vancouver Canada Goose</small> * ''B. c. parvipes''<br /><small>Lesser Canada Goose</small> * ''B. c. moffitti''<br /><small>Moffitt's Canada Goose</small> * ''B. c. maxima''<br /><small>Giant Canada Goose</small> * ''B. c. interior''<br /><small>Interior Canada Goose</small> * ''B. c. canadensis''<br /><small>Atlantic Canada Goose</small> }} The '''Canada Goose''' (''Branta canadensis'') is a [[goose]] belonging to the [[genus]] ''[[Branta]]'' native to [[North America]]. It is sometimes called 'Canadian Goose', although that is not considered to be strictly correct according to the [[American Ornithological Union]] and the [[National Audubon Society|Audubon Society]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Kirby |title=Kirby's Wonderful and Scientific Museum: Or, Magazine of Remarkable Characters (1820)| page 8 |year=1820 }}</ref><ref>Audubon Society [http://www.audubon.org/bird/BoA/BOA_index.html]</ref> According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first citation for Canada Goose dates back to 1772. ==Taxonomy== The Canada Goose was one of the many species described by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] in his 18th-century work ''[[Systema Naturae]]''.<ref>{{la icon}} {{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=C | authorlink=Carolus Linnaeus | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata | publisher=Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii) | date=1758}}</ref> It belongs to the ''Branta'' [[genus]] of geese, which contains [[species]] with largely black [[plumage]], distinguishing them from the grey species of the ''[[Anser (genus)|Anser]]'' genus. The specific epithet ''canadensis'' is a [[New Latin]] word meaning "of [[Canada]]". ==Description== [[Image:Canada goose gosling - natures pics.jpg|thumb|left|Yellow plumage of gosling]] The black head and neck with white "chinstrap" distinguish the Canada Goose from all except the [[Barnacle Goose]], but the latter has a black breast, and grey, rather than brownish, body plumage. There are seven [[subspecies]] of this bird, of varying sizes and plumage details, but all are recognizable as Canada Geese. Some of the smaller races can be hard to distinguish from the newly-separated [[Cackling Goose]]. This species is 76-110&nbsp;cm (30-43&nbsp;in) long with a 127-180&nbsp;cm (50-71&nbsp;in) [[wingspan]].<ref name="UMich">{{cite web | last =Dewey | first =T | coauthors =H. Lutz | title =''Branta canadensis'' | publisher =University of Michigan | date = 2002 | url =http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Branta_canadensis.html | accessdate = 2007-11-18 }}</ref> The male usually weighs 3.2&ndash;6.5&nbsp;kg, (7&ndash;14&nbsp;pounds), and can be very aggressive in defending territory. The female looks virtually identical but is slightly lighter at 2.5&ndash;5.5&nbsp;kg (5.5&ndash;12&nbsp;pounds), generally 10% smaller than its male counterpart, and has a different [[bird vocalization|honk]]. An exceptionally large male of the race ''B. c. maxima'', the "giant Canada goose" (which rarely exceed 8 kg/18&nbsp;lb), weighed 10.9&nbsp;kg (24&nbsp;pounds) and had a wingspan of 2.24&nbsp;m (88&nbsp;inches). The life span in the wild is 10&ndash;24&nbsp;years.<ref name="UMich"/> ==Distribution and habitat== 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, sometimes on a [[American Beaver|beaver]] lodge. Its eggs are laid in a shallow depression lined with plant material and down. The [[Great Lakes region (North America)|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 law]]s 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 [[pest (organism)|pests]] (for their droppings, the bacteria in their droppings, noise and confrontational behavior). This problem is partially due to the removal of natural [[predation|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 (Virginia)|James River]] regions. ===Outside North America=== [[Image:Canada goose.jpg|thumb|left|[[Cambridge]], [[England]]]] Canada Geese have reached [[northern Europe]] naturally, as has been proved by [[Bird ringing|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]]. Greater Canada Geese have also been introduced in Europe, and have established populations in [[Great Britain]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], and [[Scandinavia]]. Semi-tame [[feral]] birds are common in parks, and have become a pest in some areas. The geese were first introduced in Britain in the late 17th century as an addition to [[James II of England|King James II's]] waterfowl collection in [[St. James's Park]]. Canada Geese were introduced as a game bird into [[New Zealand]] and have also become a problem in some areas. ==Behavior== [[Image:Canada goose flight cropped and NR.jpg|thumb|right|Mid-flight]] [[Image:Canada goose reflection 03.jpg|thumb|right|Looking for food on a partially frozen pond]] Like most geese, the Canada Goose is naturally [[bird migration|migratory]] with the wintering range being most of the United States. The calls overhead from large groups of Canada Geese flying in V-shaped formation signal the transitions into spring and autumn. In some areas, migration routes have changed due to changes in habitat and food sources. In mild climates, such as the [[Pacific Northwest]], due to a lack of former predators, some of the population has become non-migratory. {{Listen |filename=Branta canadensis.ogg |title=''Branta canadensis'' call |description=Call |format=[[Ogg]]}} ===Diet=== The diet of the Canada Goose includes green vegetation and grains. The Canada Goose eats a variety of [[grass]]es when on land. It feeds by grasping a blade of grass with the bill, then tearing it with a jerk of the head. The Canada Goose also eats grains such as [[wheat]], [[bean]]s, [[rice]], and [[corn]] when they are available. In the water, it feeds from [[silt]] at the bottom of the body of water. It also feeds on aquatic plants, such as [[seaweed]]s.<ref name="UMich"/> ===Reproduction=== [[Image:Branta canadensis courting.jpg|thumb|left|Courting]] During the second year of their lives, Canada Geese find a mate. They are monogamous, and most couples stay together all of their lives.<ref name="UMich"/> If one is killed, the other may find a new mate. The female lays 4–8 [[egg (biology)|eggs]] and both parents protect the nest while the eggs [[avian incubation|incubate]], but the female spends more time at the nest than the male. Known egg predators include [[Arctic Fox]]es, [[Red Fox]]es, all large [[gull]]s, [[Common Raven]], [[American Crow]]s and [[bear]]s. During this incubation period, the adults lose their [[flight feathers]], so they cannot fly until after their eggs hatch. This stage lasts for 25–28 days. [[Image:Canada Goose Creche.JPG|thumb|right|A [[crèche (zoology)|crèche]]]] Adult geese are often seen leading their goslings in a line, usually with one parent at the front, and the other at the back. While protecting their goslings, parents often violently chase away nearby creatures, from small blackbirds to other geese, to humans that approach, after warning them by giving off a hissing sound. Most of the species that prey on eggs will also take a gosling. However, geese may form groups of a number of goslings and a few adults, called [[crèche (zoology)|crèches]]. The offspring enter the fledging stage any time from 6 to 9 weeks of age. They do not leave their parents until after the spring migration, when they return to their birthplace. Once they reach adulthood, Canada Geese are rarely preyed on, but can be taken by [[Coyote]]s, [[Red Fox]]es, [[Gray Wolves]], [[Snowy Owl]]s, [[Great Horned Owl]]s, [[Golden Eagle]]s and, most often, [[Bald Eagle]]s. Canada Goose populations inhabiting areas also inhabited by domesticated geese can and will interbreed with them, producing offspring that often resemble Canada Geese in shape, but with a white or gray body, dark grey head and neck, and off-white chin, with pink feet.{{fact|date=May 2008}} ==Systematics== [[Image:Canada goose from behind.jpg|thumb|From behind]] [[Image:Canadian Goose.jpg|thumb|On a frozen lake in Edison, US]] The [[Cackling Goose]] was originally considered to be the same species or a subspecies of the Canada Goose, but in July 2004 the [[American Ornithologists' Union]]'s Committee on Classification and Nomenclature split the two into two species, making Cackling Goose into a full species with the scientific name ''Branta hutchinsii''. The [[British Ornithologists Union]] followed suit in June 2005.<ref>Stackhouse, Mark. ''[http://www.utahbirds.org/RecCom/NewGoose.htm The New Goose]''.</ref> The AOU has divided the many [[subspecies]] between the two animals. To the present species were assigned: * Atlantic Canada Goose, ''Branta canadensis canadensis'' * Interior Canada Goose, ''Branta canadensis interior'' * Giant Canada Goose, ''Branta canadensis maxima'' * Moffitt's Canada Goose, ''Branta canadensis moffitti'' * Vancouver Canada Goose, ''Branta canadensis fulva'' * Dusky Canada Goose, ''Branta canadensis occidentalis'' * part of "Lesser complex", ''Branta canadensis parvipes'' The distinctions between the two geese have led to confusion and debate among ornithologists. This has been aggravated by the overlap between the small types of Canada Goose and larger types of Cackling Goose. The old "Lesser Canada Goose" was believed to be a partly [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] population, with the birds named ''taverneri'' considered a mixture of ''minima'', ''occidentalis'' and ''parvipes''. In addition, it has been determined that the [[Barnacle Goose]] is a derivative of the Cackling Goose lineage, whereas the [[Hawaiian Goose]] is an insular representative of the Canada Goose. ==Relationship with humans== [[Image:Canada Goose Kill.jpg|thumb|[[USDA]] Wildlife Services agents trap and gas geese in Seattle - 2002]] In [[North America]], non-migratory Canada Goose populations have been on the rise. The species is frequently found on golf courses, parking lots and urban parks, which would have previously hosted only migratory geese on rare occasions. Owing to its adaptability to human-altered areas, it has become the most common [[waterfowl]] species in North America. In many areas, non-migratory Canada Geese are now regarded as pests. They are suspected of being a cause of an increase in high [[fecal coliforms]] at beaches.<ref>Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved December 15, 2007, [http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/news/resource/res2007/07-0912-earlygoosehunting.aspx http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/]</ref> An extended hunting season and the use of noise makers have been used in an attempt to disrupt suspect flocks. Since 1999, The [[USDA]] Wildlife Services agency has been engaged in lethal culls of Canada Geese primarily in urban or densely populated areas. The agency responds to municipalities or private land owners, such as golf courses, who find the geese obtrusive or object to their waste. In 1995, a [[US Air Force]] [[E-3 Sentry]] aircraft at [[Elmendorf AFB]], [[Alaska]] struck a flock of Canada Geese on takeoff and crashed, killing all 24 crew. The accident sparked efforts to avoid such events, including habitat modification, scare tactics, herding and relocation, and culling of flocks.<ref>http://www.af.mil/news/airman/1297/bash.htm Air Force News article on Yukla 27</ref> When threatened, geese stand erect and hiss. ==References== <!-- Evolution41:662 --> {{reflist}} <div class="references-small"> * Angus, Wilson. Identification and range of subspecies within the Canada and Cackling Goose Complex (''Branta canadensis'' & ''B. hutchinsii''). [http://www.oceanwanderers.com/CAGO.Subspecies.html] * Moser, Timothy J., Craven, Scott R. and Miller, Brian K. Canada Geese in the Mississippi Flyway: A Guide for Goose Hunters and Goose Watchers. [http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-129.html] * {{Cite web|url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/rds/publications/technical/TAN_51.pdf|title=The management of problems caused by Canada geese: a guide to best practice|accessdate=2007-01-30|publisher=[[DEFRA]]|year=2005|author=Rural Development Service|work=Technical Advice Note 51|format=PDF}} * {{cite book |author=Hanson, Harold C. |title=The Giant Canada Goose |publisher=Southern Illinois University Press |year=1997 |id=ISBN 978-0809319244}}</div> ==External links== {{commons|Branta canadensis}} *[http://blx1.bto.org/birdfacts/results/bob1660.htm BTO BirdFacts - Canada Goose] *[http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/birds/canada_goose_intro.html University of Wisconsin] *ARKive - [http://www.arkive.org/species/ARK/birds/Branta_canadensis/ images and movies of the Canada goose''] *[http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/c/canadagoose/index.asp RSPB A to Z of UK birds] *[http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/canada_goose_info.htm Canada Goose Information and Photos] - South Dakota birds and birding *[http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Canada_Goose.html Canada Goose] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology *[http://www.massaudubon.org/birdatlas/index.php?search=yes&id=43 Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas] *[http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/hunt/geese/geesefacts.html Indiana Department of Natural Resources] *[http://ibc.hbw.com/ibc/phtml/especie.phtml?idEspecie=431 Canada Goose videos] on the Internet Bird Collection {{North American Game}} [[Category:Birds of Australia]] [[Category:Branta]] [[Category:Geese]] [[Category:Heraldic birds]] [[Category:Birds of Canada]] [[Category:Birds of North America]] [[Category:Migratory birds (Western hemisphere)]] [[Category:Birds of Europe]] [[Category:Game birds]] [[Category:British Isles coastal fauna|Goose]] [[bg:Канадска гъска]] [[cy:Gŵydd Canada]] [[da:Canadagås]] [[pdc:Schneegans]] [[de:Kanadagans]] [[es:Branta canadensis]] [[eo:Kanada ansero]] [[fr:Bernache du Canada]] [[ik:Iqsraġutilik]] [[is:Kanadagæs]] [[it:Branta canadensis]] [[lt:Kanadinė berniklė]] [[hu:Kanadai lúd]] [[ms:Angsa Kanada]] [[nl:Grote Canadese gans]] [[cr:ᓂᔅᒃ]] [[ja:カナダガン]] [[no:Kanadagås]] [[pl:Bernikla kanadyjska]] [[pt:Ganso-do-canadá]] [[ru:Канадская казарка]] [[se:Kanádačuonjá]] [[sl:Kanadska gos]] [[sr:Канадска гуска]] [[fi:Kanadanhanhi]] [[sv:Kanadagås]] [[tr:Kanada kazı]] [[zh:加拿大雁]]