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Canada Goose

Scientific Name:

Branta canadensis

Type:

Bird

Habitat:

Fields and open space near water

Range:

Native to North America, introduced to much of Europe

Status:

Least Concern (IUCN Red List)

This species is

NATIVE

to the Truckee Meadows.

Identification:

Canada geese are easily identifiable birds. They have long, black necks, black heads, brown bodies, and white undersides. Canada geese are between 6 and 18 pounds. Perhaps their most recognizable aspects are their characteristic honking calls.

Fast Facts:

Canada geese mate for life.
In the early 1900s, Canada geese were put on conservation lists as they were nearly driven into extinction by habitat loss and hunting. Today, their numbers have increased dramatically and they are no longer threatened. In some areas, they are even considered nuisances.
Canada geese have grown substantially in number due to the rapid increase in grassy spaces in the past decades. Canada geese can digest grass, and open areas such as parks, golf courses, and airports offer the geese easy views of potential predators.
In the Paiute language, the wood for goose is Naguta.

Sources:

Back to All Animals

Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Canada Goose, 2021, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canada_Goose
IUCN Red List, Canada Goose, 2021, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22679935/131909406
Pyramid Lake, The Paiute Language, 2021, http://www.numuinc.com/home/the-tribe/the-paiute-language/

Contributor(s):

Haley McGuire (research & content)

Alex Shahbazi (edits & page design)

Last Updated:

March 27, 2024 at 1:48:22 AM

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