Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

Introduced to NZ in 1905 and 1920 from fewer than 40 birds, the population is around 50,000, post-hunting season. 

Possibly because of in-breeding, fertility rates in the NZ birds is only 75% compared to 90% on the North American prairies.  They return to their breeding sites in early September and the gander aggressively defends his territory while the female builds the nest in a site with good visibility.  Nests are made of grasses and line with feathers and down.  Laying is from mid-September to late October, though a second replacement clutch is sometimes laid in November.  Between 2 to 10 eggs (5 on average) are laid in one day intervals, and incubation, which is done by the female alone, takes a month.  Goslings will follow their parents out of the nest within a day of hatching and broods are often combined and looked after by one pair of adults.

The Canada Goose is brown with pale brown and white barring underneath, a black head and neck with a white patch on the face.

Canada Geese are mainly found in the North Island mostly on coastal lakes, and in the South Island they can be found on high country lakes and rivers particularly at Lake Ellesmere.

Only partially protected, about 30,000 birds are shot by licensed hunters each year during the shooting season.  They may also be legally shot when they damage arable crops such as peas and grain, and when they eat grass and foul pastures.  In some districts special culls of moulting birds or egg-pricking have been necessary to keep numbers under control.