Colorado Country

This was taken on our way to a bird sanctuary. People see geese often, but I thought these were striking, and having read The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, I have a curiosity about what kind of geese these are.  We had a terrific time visiting our kids in Ft. Collins.  We took a hike in the Rockies in which I got beautiful butterfly pictures (no birds), but learned how to use my camera more effectively thanks to Snark.  We played games every night, went downtown for food and music one evening, and shared an enchanting evening with some of their friends over a bar-b-cue in the backyard.  I can't leave out the wonderful walks with veggie dog and getting the garden growing.  Oh the zucs and tomatoes that must be ripening as I write!

The Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) is a wild goose with a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body. Native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, it is occasionally found in northern Europe, and has been introduced to other temperate regions.

 

Latin: Branta canadensis
Average length: M 25-45 inches
Average weight: M 3-13 lbs., F 3-11 lbs.

Description: Both sexes of Canada geese have a black head and neck except for broad white cheek patches extending from the throat to the rear of the eye. The female of a breeding pair is often smaller. The breast, abdomen and flanks range in coloring from a light gray to a dark chocolate brown, either blending into the black neck or being separated from it by a white collar. The back and scapulars are darker brown, the rump is blackish and the tail is blackish-brown with a U-shaped white band on the rump. The bill, legs and feet are black. Most subspecies are uniformly large and pale and exhibit the characteristic "honking" call.
There are 7 recognized subspecies of Canada geese: Atlantic, Hudson Bay or Interior, Giant, Moffitt's or Great Basin, Lesser, Dusky and Vancouver. In general, the subspecies nesting farther north are smaller in size and darker in color to the west. The Giant Canada goose is the largest goose in the world, with some individuals weighing more than 20 pounds. They can also be long-lived, with a banded Giant Canada goose at 30 years and 4 months currently holding the longevity record for waterfowl. David Sibley has developed an informative webpage that can assist in subspecies identification for Canada geese. Also, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has a helpful field guide (PDF) to identify Cackling and Canada geese.