The RSPB: Canada goose

Conservation status: Introduced

A large goose, with a distinctive black head and neck and large white throat patch. An introduced species from N America, it has successfully spread to cover most of the UK. It forms noisy flocks and is often regarded as a nuisance in areas where large numbers occur on amenity grassland and parks.

Overview

Latin name

Branta canadensis

Family

Swans, ducks and geese (Anatidae)

Where to see them

A familiar goose seen around lakes, gravel pits and town parks.

When to see them

All year round. In winter, occasional birds of small races are seen with other wild geese species in N Ireland and W Scotland, and may be vagrant wild birds.

What they eat

Vegetation - roots, grass, leaves and seeds.

Population

Europe	UK breeding*	UK wintering*	UK passage*
-	82,550 adults	190,000 birds	-

* UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn.