Canada Geese and goslings

[pauraque]

It's the season for goslings! This pair of Canada Geese I saw foraging at the side of a dirt road had five.











Always hold an adult's wing when crossing the street!



This other pair nearby had two younger babies. It's common for Canada Goose pairs to associate with each other while raising young. Adults will care for any goslings they see and don't seem to worry about whose are whose; the babies often get mixed up and end up with different parents, or multiple pairs will raise all their young communally.

Here's a video I took a few years ago showing this behavior:

Video description: Four adult Canada Geese guide nine goslings across a dam.

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[turlough]

Adorable goslings!!

I know Eider mums bring up their babies communally but I'd no idea Canada Geese pairs could do the same. Fascinating!

[pauraque]

And I didn't know eiders did that!

[weird]

Family day out! How cute :)

[pauraque]

They are adorable.

[shirebound]

What a sweeeet video.

Adults will care for any goslings they see and don't seem to worry about whose are whose

I didn't know that!

[pauraque]

It's a handy thing for rehabbers, because any orphaned gosling can be returned to the wild just by putting it near some adults who already have young!

[cmcmck]

Great pics!

[pauraque]

Thanks!

[dhampyresa]

I want to pet them. I'd get shredded though

[pauraque]

Ha, probably!

[adafrog]

Neat, thanks.

[pauraque]

My pleasure!

[adore]

AAA CUTE!

This other pair nearby had two younger babies. It's common for Canada Goose pairs to associate with each other while raising young. Adults will care for any goslings they see and don't seem to worry about whose are whose; the babies often get mixed up and end up with different parents, or multiple pairs will raise all their young communally.

How lovely.

[pauraque]

Geese don't have the best reputation, but they do have a softer side. :)

[althea_valara]

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABIES!! ♥!!!

There's a retention pond at the end of my block and thus we always have Canada Geese in the area. I quite enjoy them myself! Lately they've taken to walking down the street, blocking traffic, which just makes me laugh. But we've yet to see any goslings! Either they haven't hatched yet or they're all hiding somewhere, hmm.

[pauraque]

If you don't see babies soon you might also have some younger adults there, as they don't start breeding until they're a few years old. (I guess like some of us, they prefer to focus on their careers first before settling down.)

[scintilla10]

Awww, fluffy cuties!

[pauraque]

Yup!