~Canada Goose – black head and neck, white chin strap, blackish bill, brownish gray upper parts, white under tail coverts.

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Added to my Birding Life List in July of 1984

(while on vacation in Yellowstone National Park, WY)

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The Canada Goose is the most common, familiar and widespread goose in North America.

They are native to North America and breed in Canada and the northern United States in a variety of habitats. The Great Lakes region maintains a very large population of Canada Geese.

Canada Geese occur year-round in the southern part of their breeding range, including most of the eastern seaboard and the Pacific coast. Between California and South Carolina in the southern United States and northern Mexico, Canada Geese are primarily present as migrants from further north during the winter.

Canada Geese will mate for life. Like most other geese, family units remain together through winter and until they return to breeding grounds. Incubation is 25-30 days by the female, young leave nest at 2-2 days, young feed themselves with the help of  their parents. 

 

 These geese are called dabblers and grazers, feeding on a variety of aquatic and terrestrial plants.

I am sure you have been treated to the familiar honk-a-lonk song of these geese and have seen them flying over in their distinctive V formation!

I had a wonderful time photographing these geese while staying at Meaher State Park in Spanish Fort, Alabama. 

If you are interested in learning more about the Canada Goose, please visit this web-site or any other birding web-site:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org

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Enjoy Birdwatching!

It can be entertaining as well as educational!

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This is another great Blog to learn about Birds! – http://prairiebirder.wordpress.com

Information on the Canada Goose was taken from several birding books and web-sites to include: DK Smithsonian Handbook on Birds of North America, National Geographic Society and Wikipedia.