England’s wild geese are large, noisy and social birds that (like swans) mate for life, and call out to each other, during their long migrations.
They often fly in a V-line (if one gets sick, two more fly down to be with it, until it recovers or dies). Then they fly back to the original group, or find another one to join. How loyal!
Geese are comical birds who fixate on the first ‘being’ they see. And that (sometimes person) becomes their ‘mother’.
Which is why they behave like guard dogs, if someone goes near your territory, if they think they should protect you!
Like most birds, geese love our wetlands, and return to England for breeding. So it’s really important to protect remaining wetlands, as we have lost most of them to industrial farming.
England’s Wild Geese Breeds
- Canada geese are common, with black necks and honking calls.
- Barnacle geese have black and white plumage, like they are wearing tuxedos! They migrate from Greenland to Scotland each autumn, and love coastal areas.
- Brent geese are also found along coasts and estuaries. These dark-bellied geese breed in Siberia (if light-bellied, they are from Canada). They love eating eelgrass and marine vegetation.
- Greylag geese are heavy birds that often graze on agricultural land. They often nest in grounded tufts of grass.
- Egyptian geese were originally from Africa, and have striking brown and beige plumage, with distinct facial markings. They like to live in parks and large estates, and often nest in trees.
Read The Meaning of Geese, the story of one conservationist, who watches wild geese fill the Norfolk landscape, as they fly in from Iceland and Siberia on epic journeys of over 1000 miles.
How to Help England’s Wild Geese
Just a few small changes to our lifestyles, can help our wild geese:
Use Rapeseed Oil (for roast potatoes)
Make roast potatoes with local rapeseed oil. You don’t need goose fat to make nice roast spuds, for Sunday lunch.
Don’t Feed Unsafe Foods to Wildfowl
Don’t feed stale, mouldy or crusty bread (nor fatty or salty foods) to wildfowl (or garden birds).
These can choke, and fat smears on feathers, affecting waterproofing and insulation.
Don’t Buy or Order Foie Gras
Don’t buy pate de foie gras (nor support shops or restaurants that sell it). Illegal to produce in the UK due to cruelty.
Don’t Litter Ponds with Fishing Line
Anglers can use Monomaster to store fishing gear, until you store it in a fishing line recycling station.
Don’t Litter Ponds with Lead Shot
Voluntary bans on lead shot (by the hunting industry) have not worked.
100,000 wildfowl die yearly from ingesting metal in used pellets (lead shot also harms other creatures).
Support Good Works of Geese Sanctuaries
Support GoodHeart Animal Sanctuaries which gives loving homes to geese, who enjoy patrolling the yard and swimming in ponds.
When night falls, the ‘tame flock’ are herded into a cosy ‘bedroom’, while the ‘wild flock’ heads to a secure island.
Find Help on Caring for Geese
If you care for geese, RSPCA has information on food, housing, disease and keeping them safe from predators.
One tip to humanely deter foxes, is to get the male member of the household to urinate in the garden!
Report Concerns to Wildlife Crime Unit
Report concerns of anyone illegally harming geese (or any other creatures) to Wildlife Crime Unit (this can be anonymous).
