Canada Goose

Despite its name the Canada Goose (branta canadensis) is also native to the US. Animals and plants are often named after the location of the person who first takes the effort to scientifically classify them. For example, we have a Virginia Rose in our yard that was present in the wild in Pennsylvania before there was a Pennsylvania. I’m explaining this, because of the current, nativist culture in much of the US. It’s also good to remember that the first European language to be spoken in what was later to be the United States was Spanish. In Delaware “The First State”, the language spoken in the first European settlement was Swedish.

So when Canada Geese become pests in the parks, don’t blame Canada. They did over-populate Lake Lenape at some point and Perkasie imported Swans to cull their population. The problem was, swans are costly and they apparently got poached. There are several sites on the web which sell plastic or styrofoam swan decoys to scare geese away. But it is important to remember that they were here first. Canada Geese reside in the area year round, although it may not be the same Geese. In the winter, many of the Geese which summer in Canada migrate south. Many of the Geese which summer here migrate further south to the Carolinas and Florida.

Family: Ducks and Geese