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Among the first to arrive north in spring, Canada geese are among the last to leave as winter returns.
Canada Goose
Canada goose 
Branta canadensis
The spectacle of Canada geese as they honk their way across the sky in "V" formation confirms the shift in seasons. Among the first to arrive north in spring, they are among the last to leave as winter returns. Few birds form family units like Canadas. They mate for life and both parents raise the young. Populations are generally increasing, partly because of habitat restoration and partly because they adapt superbly to the presence of man - feeding on waste grain in crop lands, nesting in urban areas and grazing on lawns. All Canadas have a greyish body and a black head and neck with a distinctive white cheek patch, but there are numerous races or subspecies with substantial differences in weight and size. Smaller races are about the size of a large duck, while larger races can exceed nine kilograms with a wingspan of more than a metre.
Habitat: Various, more often in open areas on and around wetlands of all types. Often found in cities and highly adaptable to human presence.
Range: Coast to coast in Canada and into the far north.
