Here we are, once again, approaching that cool, crispy time of year when the letter “V” becomes a prominent part of our ambiance. It is the season when the Canada Geese begin their long flight down to their winter homes in the South.
We all accept those “Vees” crossing our skies as a given and beautiful part of the autumn season, but how often do we lend any real thought to these amazing birds? Well, consider this the next time that unmistakable honk, honk, honking crosses through your particular patch of sky.
- Depending on which source you access, there are between 6 and 11 sub-species of Canada Goose.
- No one knows exactly how they navigate their long trip each year. Some theories suggest a combination of memory and topography. Or they may possibly use stellar navigation.
- They have been known to fly over 12,000 foot mountain peaks.
- They use the “vee” formation because it reduces wind resistance.
- Canada Geese can live to be over 20 years old.
- They have been found, naturally, as far away as Europe, Siberia, China and Japan.
- They are monogamous for a lifetime.
- They molt during the breeding season, losing their flight feathers for 20 to 40 days. The regain the power of flight around the same time as the chicks are ready to start flying for the first time, so they regain their flying wings together.
Not everybody appreciates the Canada Goose, however, and some see them as outright pests. And it’s not too hard to see why. They leave a lot of loose feathers and droppings in parks and on golf courses, they can ruin beaches and dirty the water with feces, and they’ve even been known to cause terrible crashes when they get in the way of airplanes.
Nevertheless, lots of people believe there’s got to be a better way to approach the problem than the culling practices that have been taking place over the last dozen years or so. In fact, a coalition exists for the purpose of protecting the geese from this practice. Many people were very upset last year when New York City starting herding flocks of geese into buildings to gas them to death.
This year, though, Oregon thought up a very creative solution.
So, the next time these impressive black and white birds fly over, take a slightly closer look.
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