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Close Encounters
by Art LaMay
20" by 49"
Hand Signed & Numbered Limited Edition Of 1500
$150.00
One of the most widely distributed
waterbirds of North America. The smallest is Branta canadensis
minima and the largest Branta canadensis maxima. Ranging in size
from 22 to 48 inches long. Full grown can weigh from 3 to 24 lbs.
While both male and female Canada geese are
similar in appearance, the male of a mated pair is usually
slightly larger. Wingspans of more than 6 feet have been recorded.
Migration routes are passed on from
generation to generation, parent geese teaching their children.
Canada geese are well known for their V-shaped flight pattern,
especially during their spring and fall migrations.
Canada geese migrate by day or by night and are capable of
traveling thousands of miles at a time. They use landmarks and
even stars to guide them to their destination. In
the Spring, when they arrive at their nesting place, the
yearlings (geese hatched the year before) leave their parents and
join yearlings from other families. They move away quite a
distance; sometimes hundreds of miles. These young geese will not
find mates and nest until they are about 3 years old. Canada
geese usually build their nests on the ground near water. A site
is chosen by the female with good visibility that allows her to
see intruders approaching. Nests are commonly built on small
islands, pond- and riverbanks and sometimes on muskrat and beaver
houses. They have also been seen using the nests of other birds
such as ospreys, hawks, owls and herons. If possible, a pair will
nest in the same spot every year. The nest
is built by the female of grasses, twigs, bark, leaves and
mosses. The outer edge of the nest can range in size anywhere
from 15 to 44 inches across. Inside, where the eggs will be laid,
is a depression about 10 inches wide and 4 inches deep in which
the female places the softest feathery down from her body. The
down cushions the eggs and keeps them warm.
The male is very protective of his mate on the nest. While he may
wander some distance away, he keeps his eye on the nest and is
prepared to fly back in an instant. With hissing and wings
beating he will chase away anyone who comes near. The female will
get off the nest for short periods to eat and swim. She will also
get up every so often to inspect the eggs, move them gently with
her beak and arrange the feathery lining of the nest.
In most of the US, eggs are laid in early March and a bit later in the cooler northern areas. In the Artic they are laid in early June. The female will typically lay between 5-6 cream colored eggs. They are incubated for 25-30 days with the male standing guard. Young pairs nesting for the first time are more likely to be unsuccessful. They often abandon the nest or fail to protect the eggs from predators. In time, they gain the needed experience and patience. When the baby geese (goslings) hatch they weigh only 3-4 oz. Within 24 hours of hatching, their parents take them to the safety of water. From their first day, baby geese are excellent swimmers and can swim underwater distances of 30 to 40 ft.
Goslings often cuddle with their siblings for warmth and security. When several new families have hatched in the same area, the parents sometimes bring the goslings together and the young are taken care of as a group. These groups are called "creches." People often mistake these large groups as belonging to one set of parents.
Canada geese use not only body movement to communicate with one another; studies have shown that they also use at least 10 different sounds (vocalizations).
Such communication can be seen before a family is about to
take flight. The male goose tosses his head up and down and makes
long, deep honking sounds indicating it's time to go. While the
male typically says when, the female lifts off first to lead the
way. The male follows behind and guards the rear. In Canada goose
communities, geese with large families form the top of the social
structure, followed by smaller families, then by mated pairs,
then single adults and yearlings.
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