Life List 028
Visually documented
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
- First photographed
- January 29, 2026
- First location
- Colorado, United States
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
An evolving study
Canada Goose portfolio
This collection grows as I return to photograph new behavior, habitat, seasons, and stages of life.
Natural history
Species at a glance
Branta canadensis
Overview
The Canada Goose is a large, social waterfowl species known for powerful seasonal flights and its ability to live near people. Some populations remain resident around cities, while others migrate long distances between Arctic breeding grounds and wintering areas.
Identification
A long black neck and black head marked by a broad white cheek patch are distinctive. The body is brown with a paler breast and a white undertail; size and proportions vary among populations.
Range
Breeds across Alaska, Canada, and much of the northern United States and winters widely through the United States and northern Mexico. Resident populations now occur in many developed landscapes.
Habitat
Lakes, rivers, marshes, reservoirs, shorelines, grasslands, farm fields, golf courses, and urban parks near open water.
Diet
Grasses, sedges, leaves, berries, seeds, and agricultural grain, with occasional aquatic invertebrates.
Photography by Brittany Templin
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