Geese, known for their distinct calls and V-shaped flight patterns, engage in specific nesting behaviors essential for species continuation. They construct nests as a protective environment for their eggs and newly hatched young. Nests provide a secure location for incubation and the initial care of goslings.
Nesting Locations
Geese adapt their nesting sites, often choosing locations near water bodies like islands, shorelines, or marshes. These areas offer concealment and an escape route into the water, providing a natural defense against land predators. Beyond natural wetlands, geese use human-modified environments such as urban parks, golf courses, and rooftops.
Ideal nesting spots are elevated, offering geese a wide, unobstructed view to detect threats. They may choose sites at the base of trees, under shrubs, or within thick aquatic vegetation like cattails. In agricultural settings, geese might nest in grasslands or fields, relying on tall grasses or shrubs for cover. These diverse locations reflect their preference for safety and proximity to food.
Building the Nest
The female goose primarily constructs the nest. She begins by creating a depression in the ground by sitting and kicking. This initial scrape is then built up using natural materials from the environment.
Common materials include dried grasses, reeds, lichens, mosses, twigs, and leaves. The female lines the nest with soft down feathers plucked from her breast, creating a warm, insulated space for the eggs. While the female builds, the male goose (gander) guards the site. The finished nest typically forms a bowl shape, ranging from 12 to 40 inches in diameter.
From Egg to Gosling
Once the nest is complete, the female goose begins laying her eggs, usually one every 1 to 2 days. Clutch size ranges from 2 to 15 eggs, averaging 5 to 7. After all eggs are laid, incubation begins, lasting 25 to 35 days, commonly 28 to 30 days. During this time, the female rarely leaves the nest, often forgoing eating or drinking to maintain consistent warmth for the developing embryos.
The male goose actively guards the nest, protecting it from predators and disturbances. This partnership ensures the eggs’ safety until hatching. All eggs within a clutch hatch within a few hours of each other. Goslings are precocial, meaning they are covered in down and have open eyes at birth, enabling them to walk, swim, and feed almost immediately. Within 24 hours of hatching, parents lead their goslings to a nearby water source, where the young begin foraging and learning to navigate. The family unit remains together for several weeks as the goslings grow.