there’s no place like home — even for geese

Feb 18, 2023

There are some dumb geese out there…

The majority of all geese migrate. They migrate south in September or October, and back north in April or May. Last I looked, it’s still February.

migrating geese

Nearly all species of geese migrate, but some are growing lazy and just stay home and tough out the winter months. They don’t hate the cold so much… but migrate because they want to eat and will go where their food is more plentiful. For the ones that migrate, they travel over 1,000 miles in one day — and some, like the Brent geese, travel over the Atlantic ocean being airborne for around 3000 miles. Without stopping.

Why honk?

Researchers think geese honk as they fly to help maintain the integrity of the flock or to co-ordinate position shifts with the V formation they fly. The geese I photographed today have a full “V” and part of another one. Or maybe they’re working on a “W” but weren’t finished yet.

Either way, those are some pretty dumb geese. Or maybe, the flock is full of a bunch of young rebel goslings. You know how rebels are…

They’re gonna fly when and where they want. 😉

TIL (Today I Learned): The position of front goose is shared — each group will take turns being the lead bird.