(Click on top picture to enlarge)
© 2006 Walter
Bauer, San Antonio, Texas
The most familiar goose in North America, with sizes between 25-45". This bird is easily recognized even when at a distance by the musical honking they do while flying in the ever familiar V- formation. Frequent corn and rice fields. They are prevalent in the winter months along the Texas coast. A typical adult has a black head and neck with a bright white (contrasting) patch underneath the chin. The body is a gray color with white under the tail. There are 10 races of Canada Geese that is recognized by the A.O.U., of which four winter in Texas.
Voice: The call of the larger
birds is a loud, resonant honking. The smaller forms of Canada Geese
have a high pitched yelping notes.
Where found: Breeds from Alaska and
arctic Canada south to California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and North
Carolina. These birds winter from Alaska, Utah, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and
Maritime Provinces south to Mexico, Gulf Coast and even into Florida.
Texas: Resident throughout. Winters
(Sept-Apr) along the Texas coast. These were photographed while visiting
Washington, D.C. in January 2006.
Habitat: Lakes, bays, marshes, prairies, fields, parks (where a lake is as these were in a park within Washington D.C. and were not fearful of humans)