You can tell fall has arrived in the U.P. Not only has the weather changed drastically, but large flocks of geese are making their way toward warmer environs.
Did you know that the life span of a Canada Goose is up to 24 years? Here is some other interesting goose trivia for you to take a gander at:
- Mating is for life. If a mate is lost, a new mate is often found.
- Average nest size 3 to 6 eggs with as many as 12 possible.
- Molting of adult birds occurs every summer, for up to a 6 week period, rendering all birds flightless
- Nests can be very large, up to 4 feet across, built on land and usually close to water.
- Geese are grazing animals, eating grasses and other succulent plant material.
- An adult goose eats up to 4 lbs of grass daily.
- An adult goose drops 2 lbs of fecal matter daily.
- Goose fecal matter has been linked to the spread of diseases and bacterial infections(CDC).
- Geese typically return to the same nesting and birth sites every year.
So there you have some interesting things to consider the next time you hear honking overhead!