Canada Goose

The Canada Goose is a large wild goose with a distinctive black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brown body. Known for their V-formation flight patterns and loud honking calls, they are highly adaptable birds frequently found near bodies of water.

Dark grey-brown to charcoal black across the vane, with a robust, pale yellowish-white to off-white rachis

Pennaceous vane with tightly interlocked barbs and barbicels along the upper portion, transitioning slightly softer toward the base

Stiff and smooth with a matte finish, designed to withstand high aerodynamic resistance during flight

Large size, dark grey-brown vane contrasting sharply with a very thick, pale whitish-yellow rachis characteristic of large waterfowl flight feathers

Found in a wide variety of habitats associated with water, including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, agricultural fields, and suburban parks

Native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, and has been successfully introduced to parts of Europe, New Zealand, and other regions

Acts as an important grazer in wetland and grassland ecosystems, nutrient cycling through droppings, and serves as prey for large mammalian and avian predators

Other large waterfowl such as Snow Geese, Greater White-fronted Geese, or Tundra Swans, which can be distinguished by smaller sizes or different coloration in the rachis and barbs

Canada Geese mate for life and fly in a V-formation to reduce wind resistance, allowing the flock to increase its overall flying range by up to 70 percent compared to flying alone

Good condition overall with some minor fraying or separation of the barbs along the middle section of the trailing edge, intact calamus