Some people love them; others hate them.
I’m talking about our resident Canada geese, those giant waterfowl who live with us year-round, here at Riderwood. They can be fascinating to watch, as they fly in formation overhead or perch serenely on the pond’s surface. And they can be annoying, when we humans have to navigate around the greenish curls they leave on walkways.
I have been curious about these avian neighbors of ours. I wondered why they live here at Riderwood, and why they don’t fly south for the winter. Aren’t geese migratory birds?
I decided to find out more about these geese who are part of our Riderwood community, whether we welcome them or not.
It turns out that our Canada Goose neighbors are a Canada Goose subspecies called the Giant Canada Goose, Branta Canadensis Maxima. They are the largest of seven Canada Goose subspecies. Unlike their smaller cousins, the Giants historically do not migrate. And because the environment here at Riderwood meets their needs ideally, a large flock has made our campus its year-round home.
In fact, over the last few decades, Giant Canada Geese have become increasingly numerous, not just in our area, but throughout the country. The most abundant Canada Goose subspecies in North America, Giant Canada Geese can be found in all 50 states—with resident flocks living in urban neighborhoods, on golf courses, in parks, and on harvested agricultural fields.
But Giant Canada Geese have not always been abundant in our area or in the rest of the country. Originally native to America’s Great Plains and prairies, the Giants’ population declined sharply during the nineteenth century. Unregulated hunting, destruction of wetlands, and egg collecting decimated their population. By the early twentieth century, Giant Canada Geese had been extirpated from almost all of their native range. And by the 1950s, scientists believed them to be completely extinct.
Then in 1962, a field biologist discovered a remnant flock of Giant Canada Geese in southern Minnesota. Through intensive captive breeding and reintroduction programs, Giant Canada Geese made a huge comeback. As their numbers increased rapidly during the 1960s, many were intentionally introduced into a variety of places, including Maryland, and protected.
These giant geese, weighing as much as 20 pounds, have proved highly adaptable to many manmade environments. These natural grazers thrive on low, open park-like areas, like much of the space here at Riderwood. The birds find ample food to eat–leaves, seeds, flowers, stems, roots and berries, on manicured lawns like those found here at Riderwood. And Riderwood ponds provide the birds with water to drink and safety from predators.
Man-made environments pose less threat from predators than wilder areas, and the geese have come to view humans as non-threatening and sometimes as sources of food.
So, as you know, Riderwood is a great place to live. And our Giant Canada Geese neighbors obviously agree.
A FEW FUN GIANT CANADA GOOSE FACTS:
**Waterfowl biologists believe there may be more Canada Geese in North America now than ever before. Much of today’s abundance is due to the soaring population of Giant Canada Geese.
**Giant Canada Geese typically weigh between 12-20 pounds. The six other Canada Goose subspecies typically weigh seven pounds or less.
**The wingspan of a Giant Canada Goose can be as great as six feet.
**Giant Canada Geese mate for life and can live as long as 25 years. If a partner dies, the remaining bird will find a new mate.
**Giant Canada Geese tend to nest in the same area where they were reared. They make their nests in upland areas near water.
**Giant Canada Geese nest and breed at a young age, and lay larger clutches of eggs than their smaller cousins. These facts contribute to their rapidly growing populations around the country.
**Both parents care for the young. The male will try to lure a potential predator away from the nest.
**Resident Giant Canada Geese breed early in the year, nesting from late March to early May. The clutch, usually about five eggs, incubates about 28 days.
**While we might think the only sounds these birds make is a honk, scientists have detected at least 13 different sounds, with such different meanings as greetings, contentment, and warning.
A GIANT CANADA GEESE MYSTERY
Soon after our recent big snow, I took a walk outside. I saw nary a goose. After a couple of days, I saw them again. At least I saw them in the air; since I was not walking about outside, I could not tell whether they had returned to the icy pond and ice-crusted grassy areas.
The geese’s brief disappearance raises a question for me: where did they go? They obviously didn’t fly south, but then every area nearby is also covered with snow and ice. So what did the geese do for water and food? My efforts to find the answer have not born fruit. So for now it’s a mystery. At least to me. –April Moore