On the Wing #67: Angry, Angry Geese
Things are heating up at Wargo Pond this week. The frogs are out, the sunfish are starting to make their nests, and the geese are angrier than ever.
When most people tend to think of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) they think of the aggressive pooping birds that ruin any grassy area they accumulate in. When I think of Canada Geese, I think of the calls of a passing flock that are so pleasing to hear on a crisp fall day, their neat black stockinged heads and necks, and their devotion to their mates, young, and territory. These are some of the prime reasons they are one of my favorite birds.
Being a fan of waterfowl in general, the late spring and early summer is one of the best times to witness waterfowl behavior. Being very common throughout North America, Canada Geese are very easy to observe when it comes to mating rituals and defensive behavior. Just today, I saw several behaviors detailed in the "Stokes Guide to Bird Behavior Vol 1". (Originally titled "A Guide to the Behavior of Common Birds") and am amazed by the variety of displays exhibited by such a common bird.
For example, some of the most common displays that I've seen are aggressive displays directed towards geese who stray across territory boundaries. There's generally a lot of fighting and splashing as they dive at one another, trying to force the enemy to flee, but before it gets that heated, there are some preliminary behaviors that need to be exhibited before a chase or threat can be dealt with. According to Stokes, there are generally three levels of threat behavior: 1. Bent-neck, 2. Head-forward, and 3. Head-pumping.
Bent-neck is threat level one behavior. It is accompanied by little to no sound, although hissing is occasionally used to denote potential rage. If you are near a goose giving this behavior, avoid the bird entirely. However if you're made of tougher stuff (by that I mean denser in more ways than one), you can see if they will increase their threat behavior levels while you stand and gawk at them.
Head forward is threat level two behavior. It is generally accompanied by ahonk calls given by the male and hink calls given by the female. This is used in response to an intruder who remains in the territory longer than they are welcome to do so. If the goose is directing itself towards you in this manner, it is advised to leave the creature alone and remove yourself from the territory. If you insist, you will possibly face the level three threat behavior which is...
Head-pumping! The final stage in warning a foe that an attack is coming. At this point the goose will probably charge in a hissing rage and cause even the hardest man to flee with wet underpants! (I may have overstated the last part, but it is for comic effect after all)
However, by far my favorite behavior to see is the one that precedes even these threatening behaviors. Usually when a goose first spots danger, it keeps an eye out, scanning and watching and making sure you don't start running at them. I've seen this plenty of times with geese at GMNWR. I admire the faithfulness and wariness of the ganders to watch over their brood and mate while they feed nearby.
I'm a great admirer of life long couples in the wild and geese are some of my favorite examples. While it might be anthropomorphic of me to say that they show affection and compassion for their partners, young, and flock mates, I think we all should take a leaf out of the goose play book. Fight hard for what you need, protect those that you love, and hiss while violently beating your wings against your enemie's face! (Well...maybe not that one...)
I hope good weather finds you all well and that the migrations to come will be spectacular as well. I'm getting excited for warblers myself and am eager to raise myself from my crypt in the wee hours to find some of these feathered beauties.
Take care and as always, happy birding ^_^.
When most people tend to think of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) they think of the aggressive pooping birds that ruin any grassy area they accumulate in. When I think of Canada Geese, I think of the calls of a passing flock that are so pleasing to hear on a crisp fall day, their neat black stockinged heads and necks, and their devotion to their mates, young, and territory. These are some of the prime reasons they are one of my favorite birds.
Being a fan of waterfowl in general, the late spring and early summer is one of the best times to witness waterfowl behavior. Being very common throughout North America, Canada Geese are very easy to observe when it comes to mating rituals and defensive behavior. Just today, I saw several behaviors detailed in the "Stokes Guide to Bird Behavior Vol 1". (Originally titled "A Guide to the Behavior of Common Birds") and am amazed by the variety of displays exhibited by such a common bird.
For example, some of the most common displays that I've seen are aggressive displays directed towards geese who stray across territory boundaries. There's generally a lot of fighting and splashing as they dive at one another, trying to force the enemy to flee, but before it gets that heated, there are some preliminary behaviors that need to be exhibited before a chase or threat can be dealt with. According to Stokes, there are generally three levels of threat behavior: 1. Bent-neck, 2. Head-forward, and 3. Head-pumping.
 |
| Drawing is from the Stokes Guide to Bird Behavior. |
 | ||
|
 |
| Drawing is from the Stokes Guide to Bird Behavior. |
However, by far my favorite behavior to see is the one that precedes even these threatening behaviors. Usually when a goose first spots danger, it keeps an eye out, scanning and watching and making sure you don't start running at them. I've seen this plenty of times with geese at GMNWR. I admire the faithfulness and wariness of the ganders to watch over their brood and mate while they feed nearby.
I hope good weather finds you all well and that the migrations to come will be spectacular as well. I'm getting excited for warblers myself and am eager to raise myself from my crypt in the wee hours to find some of these feathered beauties.
Take care and as always, happy birding ^_^.
Comments
Post a Comment