Frequently Asked Questions Canada Geese

The Canada goose (Branta canadensis) is easy to identify: a black head and neck, a white chinstrap and cheek patch, a brown body, and a wide, flat bill. Adults typically run 30 to 43 inches long with a wingspan of 50 to 71 inches. They forage on grass, seeds, and aquatic plants, mate for life, and can live 20 years or more in a protected suburban setting.

• Black head, neck, bill, and feet with a bright white chinstrap
• Brown body plumage with a pale underside
• Flocks that travel and graze together, often on mowed turf near water
• A mix of migratory birds passing through and resident geese that stay year round

Migratory populations breed in Southern Canada and move down into US wintering grounds each fall, following wetlands, rivers, and open fields along the way. Resident populations skip that trip entirely and stay put on the same golf course, corporate campus, or neighborhood pond all year, which is exactly why they turn into an ongoing property issue rather than a seasonal visitor.