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The goose is a small goose with almost dark plumage and a contrasting white hindquarters. There are two main forms: pot-bellied and pale. Bellies are found on the south and east coasts of Great Britain and have a dark gray belly and sides. Pale-bellies are found in north-east England, but individual birds will venture further south, and have pale flanks and bellies in marked contrast to the black breast.
Origin of the species and description
Photo: Kazarka
The name goose comes from the Old Norse "brandgas", meaning "burnt goose", which refers to the dark coloration of this northern goose. It is a small goose 55–65 cm long or the size of a mallard. Its plumage is a simple tricolor pattern: dark brown back and wings, white belly and tail, and dark black chest, neck, head and beak.
The adult goose also has a small patch of white on the top of the neck. As it frolics in the shallow water, turning upside down to reach the water weeds, the goose undergoes a remarkable transformation - the dark brown goose turns bright white, with its tail sticking in the air. It can be distinguished from the Canada goose by its shorter neck, lack of white chinstrap, dark chest and distinctive four-note call.
Video: Goose
During flight, the adult brant always displays the strongest contrast of the underparts towards the back of the bird, between the dark rear belly and the white undercovers. However, no less important are the upper parts, which in the dark goose are cold ash-gray or gray-brown. Compared to the dusky, the pallid goose may appear to have perhaps a slightly shorter neck with a shorter, "barrel-shaped" body. Such differences, however, are subtle and hard identifications based solely on plumage.
Brent geese hybrids are rare but occur regularly, with some known individuals returning to traditional winter sites and producing second generation hybrids. Hybrids resemble black shoots, but show distinct subtle gray shades throughout, with gray coloration on the white sides and gray shades on the upper parts. However, their appearance varies greatly depending on the light.
Interesting fact: The oldest recorded goose was a female who was over 27 years and 6 months old. She was found in Washington.
Main subspecies of Canada geese
These birds have attracted the attention of ornithologists relatively recently. There are many opinions regarding the number of subspecies of Canada geese. After a long study of behavior, distribution area and anatomical features, about 12 subspecies of these amazing birds were described. It is believed that 1 of them is now extinct. The remaining species of Canada geese can be roughly divided into large and relatively small. On average, the body length of various subspecies of geese ranges from 55 to 110 cm. The weight of birds can vary from 2 to 6.5 kg. The wingspan of individual varieties of Canada geese ranges from 120 to 185 cm. However, all geese belonging to this genus have a certain similarity in plumage color, although the dimensions of the birds can vary significantly.
It is believed that limited populations of birds are present in Eurasia
Appearance and features
Photo: What a goose looks like
There are dark and pale, black and gray geese. Although they are now officially classified as subspecies, the differences between the various forms of geese are greater than between many full-fledged species, and amount to much more than a dark or pale belly.
For example:
- dark goose. The belly of the adult Brant Goose is a smoky grey-brown color, with paler upper and rear flanks caused by greyish-white pubescence. However, some birds may appear surprisingly pale underneath, especially if aligned differently with the rest of the flock or exposed to strong sunlight. Dark-bellied geese are palest in the spring, and it is at this time of year that the risk of misidentification is greatest;
- pale goose. Adult pallid geese have very pale bellies and sides. On many individuals these areas are bright chalky white, but on others they are pale brown. Thus, the belly contrasts markedly with the black chest and upper parts. The area between the legs is completely white, so on a bird in flight the attractive contrast is always towards the front, between the black chest and the whitish belly. Pallid geese's upperparts are always a distinct medium brown rather than grey, so in mixed groups it is sometimes easiest to identify them by the color of their upperparts. Although they are similar in size and structure to other forms of geese, some (perhaps especially the males) often appear rather squat with large, rather angular heads;
- black goose. Adult brant geese exhibit very strong contrasts with their black and white plumage, which are best appreciated in dim light. The white neck collar is strong and deep, and the upper and hind flanks are strikingly bright white, although with a gray vertical lining. The belly is a very dark earthy brown, looking black in dim light and contrasting little with the black chest and upperparts. The area between the legs is dark, like a brent geese, so it is difficult to identify brent geese in flight in flocks. The upper part of the body is dark brown, without gray shades;
- gray goose. Its appearance is variable, combining features of the pale and black kazakri, leading to speculation that it may be an all-season form, but it has been proposed as a valid subspecies based on DNA analysis as well as morphology.
Where does the goose live?
Photo: Kazarka in Russia
Geese live in close proximity to the coast and ocean. Their favorite habitats are estuaries, which rise and fall with the tides. Estuaries usually have a sandbank or strip of land that protects them from waves, and also usually connect to a river or stream. These estuaries typically support a wide variety of seaweeds and aquatic vegetation. They also migrate to cold tundras along the coast to breed.
There is one population of brant geese that breed in the northernmost tundra of central Siberia, migrate across the Baltic, and winter mainly around the southern North Sea and north-west France. In Britain it winters mainly between the Humber and Exe estuaries. Pallid geese have three populations, two of which reach Britain. One of these breeds is found in Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land and winters in Denmark and Northumberland. Another population breeds in northern Greenland and northeastern Canada, migrates through Iceland, and winters primarily in Ireland and westernmost Great Britain.
The third population breeds in the central Arctic and winters on the American Atlantic coast. Outlier records in south-east England are likely to come from the Svalbard population, although individuals accompanying other geese from the north-west (such as pink-footed geese) are more likely to have originated from Greenland or Canada. The brent goose breeds in the Arctic, Canada, Alaska and Eastern Siberia. Siberian birds are annual winter visitors to south-east England with dusky geese, while Canada birds reach Ireland with pallid geese.
A fourth population of geese, the gray geese, breeding primarily on Melville and Prince Patrick Islands in western high Arctic Canada, has also been recognized, although its taxonomic status remains uncertain and has no scientific name. The greylag goose is not on the UK list, but a number of birds apparently of this type have occurred in Ireland, and one or two of these have also been suspected in Britain. Considering that its breeding area borders that of the Canada pallid goose, it most likely originated in Ireland and the west.
Now you know where the goose is found. Let's see what the black goose eats.
Habitat
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Breeds in the Arctic on swamps, islands and tundra. In winter, it lives in lagoons, river mouths, salt marshes near sandbars, barrier beaches and ocean shores.
Area
Breeds on the Arctic coasts of central and western Siberia. Winters in western Europe: more than half of the population is in the south of England, the rest is between northern Germany and northern France.
What does a goose eat?
Photo: Goose bird
Historically, the goose fed almost exclusively on eel, which it still strongly prefers when available. They now also forage on pasture and have been able to diversify their diet in the absence of eels, although their range is still closely related to them. The goose also feeds on aquatic invertebrates.
The goose is primarily a herbivore, feeding on grasses, mosses and lichens, as well as aquatic vegetation in their breeding areas. During the breeding season, geese feed on a variety of terrestrial plants such as scurvy (Cochlearia) and mosses, although they also feed on a variety of algae in seawater. During the winter months, algae is their main diet. They also graze on land.
Like most geese, geese are excellent swimmers, adapted to life on the surface of the water. Instead of diving, they feed at low tide, pulling the eel up from the bottom. To ensure feeding during high tides, when the water is too deep for them to reach their favorite food underwater, they remain floating on the surface.
In shallow water, the goose swims very well and makes leaps to reach vegetation. They feed in large flocks and also in the water and in coastal meadows along estuaries. They live in dense groups in sheltered bays and coastal waters.
Nutrition
The red-breasted goose feeds exclusively on food of plant origin. The diet of birds is not very diverse, since there are few plants suitable for eating in the tundra. These are, in most cases, moss, algae, plant shoots, and roots.
During the winter, they settle near fields with winter crops and legumes. While feeding the young, the family constantly floats down the river, thus opening up new feeding areas.
Features of character and lifestyle
Photo: Goose in flight
Relatively little is known about the lifestyle of this species. They nest on flat areas of tundra near ponds and lakes, as well as on islands. During migration and in winter, geese are more closely associated with the coast than other geese, and they often spend time in the delta or shallow sea areas.
Geese are social birds and should have plenty of space and companions. They need plenty of space to graze as well as plenty of water. Their water source should also grow underwater vegetation.
No other geese nest as far north as the goose, and few migrate as far. These small geese are common in coastal areas in summer and winter. Most bird watchers know them from observing their wintering flocks along the coast. Traveling between their summer and winter outposts, they can fly at high altitudes, crossing vast expanses of land or open ocean.
The goose has strong wings that perform quick strikes. They fly in a compact herd or oblique line, sometimes in a well-opened V formation. During migration they fly low from the water. During the flight, a white fragment often catches the eye.
Interesting fact: The goose makes a low, guttural, rolling sound in flight. This nasal sound is almost similar to a grunt or deep booming bark and is carried over considerable distances.
In North America, geese winter along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California and mainland Mexico, and along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to North Carolina (mostly New Jersey to North Carolina).
Since the mid-1960s, more than 80% of the estimated winter populations of Russia, Japan, and North America have lived in Baja California and other parts of northwestern Mexico. Geese overwinter primarily in marshy marine habitats, along lagoons and river mouths, and in shallow bays.
Lifestyle
The red-breasted goose is a very tireless and active bird; in addition, it loves to communicate and adapts to new conditions quite easily. In flight, it is more like a red duck than a goose, with which it is constantly compared. During the non-moving period, birds are usually distinguished by their characteristics such as restlessness and constant movement from one point to another. If they were like geese, they would be more motionless and calm.
It has already been said that the goose is a waterfowl, so it has good ability to dive to depth. Descending into the depths, you can hear the various sounds it makes: a barely audible hoarse cackle, as well as a scream. Thus, representatives of this family communicate with each other and transmit information about whether it is safe there. In addition, sometimes you can hear sounds similar to a snake hissing.
For nesting houses, geese usually use bushes, as well as lichens on the tundra. In addition, when choosing a place, they use various criteria; it is desirable that the place is located on a hill, not far from the water, close to the weeds. They often hatch eggs on the coastal areas of rivers with sharp turns, and very rarely nest on rocks.
Social structure and reproduction
Photo: Geese chicks
In the high latitudes where these geese breed, the good season for the breeding cycle is generally too short, and pair formation and courtship often occur in wintering areas or during migration to breeding grounds. They perform some defensive displays by walking with their head and neck extended forward, in an almost horizontal position, showing white neck patches. Geese breed once a year during the best period with good weather conditions. The pair usually travel together to breeding grounds and remain paired for life.
They nest in colonies, and this behavior has primarily a protective function against predation by bears, foxes, gulls and skuas. The display between the two partners involves ritualistic postures and movements prior to copulation, which usually takes place on the water. Geese nest in solitary pairs or in loose colonies. There is competition between geese and the more dominant barnacle goose for nesting sites. The nest is a shallow depression, usually located on high ground in the area, and is lined with plant material and down.
Egg laying usually occurs in mid-June. Three to five eggs are yellow-white and are incubated by the female for 24–26 days. The male is always near the nest. Geese abandon the nest shortly after the chicks hatch, and the young fledge after about six weeks. Just as they fledge, the adults change their plumage, remaining unable to fly for several weeks. During this period they are very timid and very sensitive to disturbances. Like other geese species, parents remain with their young through the winter until spring migration the following year. Sexual maturity in geese is reached at the age of two or three years.
Migrations
Spring migration for geese begins later than other species of ducks and geese. These waterfowl arrive at their nesting sites in early June. At this time, the snow has already melted, and the hilly plains are covered with young grass. When migrating to nesting sites, birds stay in small flocks of 3-15 individuals. At the same time, these geese do not form a wedge when flying. During their spring migration, these ducks make a number of stops at ponds and fields to rest and feed. In autumn, birds fly to their winter resting places in the second half of September.
Natural enemies of geese
Photo: What a goose looks like
The natural enemies of geese are:
- White bears;
- arctic foxes;
- common gulls;
- arctic skuas
They all prey on the eggs and chicks of geese. The actual predator of geese is rarely observed in the field, and therefore the role of predators is often greatly underestimated. Species are limited in their distribution, which does not predispose them to the antipredator behavior that subspecies evolved under constant selection pressure from predation.
Interesting fact: To avoid predation, geese actively limit their habitat. The Arctic genus is limited by predators and the predator-avoidance behavior of geese, which limits their population size.
The greatest threat to geese is the loss and degradation of winter habitats due to human development and encroachment and disturbance of their habitat. Goose were once a favored game animal, and thousands were shot each spring and fall during their migration. This constant persecution has caused the population to plummet. Fortunately, goose are now protected by law and their current population is relatively stable.
Several important factors influence the health of bird populations, including protective habitat, nesting habitat, food, and water. The goose depends on a healthy diet of eels, their main food source. Where their populations have been wiped out or declined significantly, some geese populations have seen their numbers drop to such an extent that they have never recovered.
