Animalia Life
Branta canadensis
SUBFAMILY
Anserinae
TAXONOMY
Anas Canadensis Linnaeus, 1758, City of Quebec, Canada. Subspecies
considered by some as full species.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Bernache du Canada; German: Kanadagans; Spanish:
Barnacla Canadiense.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
21.7–43.3 in (55–110 cm); 4.5–14.4 lb (2.06–6.52 kg). Large
long-necked goose with dark solid-colored neck and mottled
plumage.
DISTRIBUTION
B. c. leucopareia: Aleutian Islands; winters in California. B. c.
minima: west coast of Alaska; winters in California. B. c. taverneri:
Alaska to western Northwest Territory; winters in
Washington south to northern Mexico. B. c. occidentalis: southwestern
Alaska; winters from Prince William Sound south to
northern California. B. c. fulva: coastal southern Alaska and
western British Columbia. B. c. parvipes: north central Canada;
winters from California south to Louisiana and northern Mexico.
B. c. moffitti: British Columbia east to Manitoba and in
south from northern California to eastern Colorado; winters in
southern part of its range and northern Mexico. B. c. maxima:
Alberta to Manitoba. B. c. hutchensii: arctic tundra of Canada;
winters in New Mexico, Texas, and northeastern Mexico. B. c.
interior: central and eastern Canada; winters from Wisconsin
east to New York, and south to Gulf and Atlantic coasts. B. c.
canadensis: northeastern Canada; winters along eastern coastal
provinces of Canada south to North Carolina. Introduced into
United Kingdom, northwestern Europe, and New Zealand.
HABITAT
Mostly open habitats such as tundra, semi-desert, wooded areas,
and agricultural lands.
BEHAVIOR
Territorial to colonial. Migratory.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Diet mostly vegetarian. Grazes on land and submerges head
when on water.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Perennially monogamous with mate guarding. Breeds in
spring. Usually lay 4–7 eggs in shallow ground nest; incubation
24–30 days; fledging 40–86 days; Sexually mature at 2–3 years.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened, though some populations have declined due to
over-hunting and habitat alteration.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Hunted for game.
Photo Gallery of - Canada goose
