Animal Behavior:  The v-formation used by Canadian geese in flight is very energy efficient, as is flying with the wind. This arrangement during flight is called a "wedge" or "skein." The lead position in the "wedge" is rotated because it is the most taxing flight position in terms of energy usage. This technique allows Canadian geese to cover up to 2,400 km in a single day of flight. Flocks of geese are often vocal and communicate with each other during flight. 

 Native Habitat: North America

Eating Habits:  A proper diet for Canadian geese should be high in protein and energy. Their diet can generally be categorized as herbivorous and consists mainly of leaves, grass, seeds, berries, algae, and roots. The lamella on the edge of their bill helps during grazing.  Grass is removed by making a jerking motion with their head.

Range:  Canadian geese (Branta canadensis) are native to Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Although their range covers much of North America, Canadian geese generally winter in the southern portion of the continent. Despite their North American origins, Canadian geese have been introduced to habitats around the globe.

Conservation Efforts:  In 1918, the US Migratory Bird Act took effect, making it illegal to hunt, capture, or kill birds in migration across the United States. As a result, Canadian geese are game birds that can only be hunted during hunting season or with a special permit.

Animal Facts:  Male geese are referred to as "ganders" and female geese are simply known as "geese." Pairs often select each other based on a similarity in size, which is known as "assortative mating". Often remaining paired for life, Canadian geese are monogamous.  They lay anywhere from 2 to 10 eggs. Each egg is laid approximately a day and a half apart and incubation begins once the final egg is laid.  It is difficult to determine the average life expectancy for Canadian geese. In captivity, the longest lived goose was 80 years old. In the wild, the oldest goose was reportedly 30 years and 4 months old. The life expectancy for most wild geese is 12 years.