Greenland Canada Geese

Danish researcher Tony Fox has been studying geese in Greenland for many years. Canada Geese have been increasing in west Greenland since his research began in 1979, and further study has revealed that these birds mostly winter in the northeastern United States. This past July he and his team tagged several Canada Geese in the area of Isunngua, an upland plateau located near 67.12 N, 50.59 W.

On November 19th I spotted one of Tony's Canada Geese, labeled "GYH," at the Greenbacker Pond in Durham, CT. It was the only neck-banded goose in the flock, but it makes one wonder how many of the 290 birds present came from the same part of the world. Around here, Canada Geese are often eschewed by the general public as year-round pests that soil golf courses and lawns. However, several populations of this species are impressive long-distance migrants that travel 2,000+ miles to their wintering grounds. Look for these far-flung members of this familiar species starting in mid-October and continuing through March, when they head back north toward their breeding grounds.



 - NB

Comments

  1. It's unfortunate that Canada Geese often get a bad rap locally as year-round pests, but your observation serves as a reminder of the remarkable long-distance migrations they undertake.

    Thank you for sharing your experience and shedding light on the impressive migrations of these familiar yet often misunderstood birds.

    ReplyDelete

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