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Greater Canada Goose Branta canadensis [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Anseriformes
Family:
Anatidae
BTO Codes:
CG, CANGO
EURING No:
1660
Number in Britain:
82 thousand adults (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK:
Not Assessed
European:
Not a species of concern
Global:
Least Concern
Links to:
Images
Videos
Sound
Status in UK:
(C2) Introduced Breeder
Subspecies:
canadensis recorded in Britain (of 6 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
95 cm
Wingspan:
168 cm
Weight:
M/F: 4.6 kg
Scientific name from:
ON: brandgas =burnt goose
and after Canada
World Distribution:
N America, INTRODUCED: n&w Europe, New Zealand
Habitat:
Marsh, meadows, lakes & tundra, also estuaries
Diet:
Plant material, incl. roots, tubers, shoots, leaves, mostly grazing on land
TitBit:
Originally introduced to Britain in St James Park, London in the mid 17th century, they are reputedly amongst the most inedible of birds
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends:
England  
English Regions
Distribution:
Atlas Maps
(Help with the New Atlas )
BBS Maps
British Population Size:
Summer:
82 thousand adults
in 1999
Winter:
82 thousand individuals
in 1999
 
First Record:
1676
First Breeding Record:
Introduced Hampshire 1890
Conservation Status:
Previous Assessments:
2002-2007
Not Assessed
1996-2001
Not Assessed
Races of Concern:
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
Most frequent in:
Lakes
Also common in:
Ponds
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
European Population Size:
Summer:
2500 to 10 thousand pairs
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(II,IX), WBD(II*)Bern(III), Bonn(II)
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
86 x 58 mm
Egg Weight:
163.0 g (of which 11 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
200
Clutch Size:
5 - 7 eggs
Incubation:
28- 30 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
40 - 48days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Unavailable
Number of Broods:
1
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed:
2038
Adult Survival:
0.724
± 0.006
Juvenile Survival:
0.759 (in First-Year)
Age at First Breeding:
3
years
Typical Lifespan:
6
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
27yr 4m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
L*
Wing Length
Adult:
518.7 ± 33.4
Range
457 - 555 mm, N =56
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
541.0 ± 20.5
498 - 555 mm, N =24
Female:
505.7 ± 15.4
465 - 515 mm, N =25
Weight
Adult:
3.96 ± 0.56
Range
3.20 - 4.85 kg , N =2917
Juvenile:
2.90 ± 0.50
2.00 - 3.55 kg , N =26
Male:
4.27 ± 0.50
3.60 - 4.95 kg , N =1126
Female:
3.67 ± 0.45 .
3.05 - 4.40 kg , N =1217
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Canada Goose
Includes B. hutchinsii
Gaelic:
Gèadh-dubh
Welsh:
Gwydd Canada
Danish:
Canadagås
Dutch:
Canadese gans
Finnish:
Kanadanhanhi
French:
Bernache du Canada
German:
Kanadagans
Hungarian:
Kanadai lúd
Icelandic:
Kanadagæs
Irish:
Gé Cheanadach
Italian:
Oca del Canada
Norwegian:
Kanadagås
Polish:
Bernikla kanadyjska
Portuguese:
Ganso do Canadá
Spanish:
Barnacla canadiense
Swedish:
Kanadagås
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press
[598.48 KEA]
Cabot, D. 2009 Wildfowl Collins, London
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
Wikipedia entry
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides.com
Selected scientific papers published 1980-2005
Find more papers on Google Scholar
Find more papers on Scirus
BirdFacts home | BTO Home Email: birdfacts@bto.org These data should be cited as: Robinson, R.A. (2005) BirdFacts: profiles of birds occurring in Britain & Ireland (v1.24, June 2009). BTO Research Report 407, BTO, Thetford (http://www.bto.org/birdfacts)
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