Canada Geese

Canada Geese –

I see these geese every winter, honking as they fly over my head.  Flocks of geese always travel in V formations.  The V is so that each bird can get a rest when not in the lead.  The front bird has to work the hardest, and his wing beat deflects some of the wind resistance for the next bird.  This pattern deflects the wind one goose at a time, all the way back the last goose in the V.

If you watch for a while, you can see the front bird going from the front to the back as they swap the lead position with each other.  Everybody pulls their own weight and takes turns.  I wonder who taught them how to do this?

Another amazing thing…Canada Geese mate for life.  This is fairly unique in the animal world.  Two geese can stay together their whole lives which are up to 25 years.  I wonder who taught them that, too?

‘Til death do they part’ – Canada Geese take their partnership pretty serious, I guess.

Subscribe to the Wilder Newsletter