Canadian geese have a very loyal fan base in Canada with one episode of the popular TV show Letterkenny even having a dedicated episode to the Canadians in the show protecting the local Canadian geese population.
Although people do like their Canadian geese, there is a large amount of misinformation out there about the breed and many people often think that a Canadian goose should always be in a flock.
Over the last year or so, we have noticed a spike in the number of people reaching out and asking about why they have seen a lone Canadian goose in their area. Some people are even concerned that the lone goose may be lost, injured or abandoned.
Lone Canadian geese are actually quite common and there is often no need to worry if you see one! Here are a few reasons why you may see a lone Canadian goose:
- They may be looking for a mate to breed.
- They may be protecting their nest while their mate is getting food.
- You may not just see the other Canadian geese that are close by.
- They may be lost.
- They may be injured.
- They may have been abandoned.
- There may be a problem with the local geese population.
Is It Normal To See A Lone Canadian Goose?
Yes, it is actually quite normal to see lone Canadian geese! While they are generally social birds, there are times when you may see a lone goose.
As we mentioned before, some of the reasons why you may see lone Canadian geese include them looking for a mate, protecting their nest or simply because they are lost.
Just prior to the Canadian goose breeding season, it is actually common to see a lone Canadian goose as they are looking for a mate. Once they have found a mate, they will generally stay with that mate until the breeding season is over.
Once the breeding season is over most Canadian geese will then flock up ready for their migration south with this being the natural route of a Canadian goose that they go through each year.
Why Would A Canadian Goose Be Alone?
There are a few reasons why you may see lone Canadian geese with the most common one being due to the goose looking for a mate prior to breeding season. This is totally normal and natural but the other causes of a lone Canadian goose can still be normal in some situations.
As we covered earlier in the article, here are the other reasons that you may see a lone Canadian goose in your area:-
- They may be looking for a mate to breed.
- They may be protecting their nest while their mate is getting food.
- You may not just see the other Canadian geese that are close by.
- They may be lost.
- They may be injured.
- They may have been abandoned.
- There may be a problem with the local geese population.
Some Canadian geese that are sick can be chased away from the flock by the other geese. This is because they don’t want the sickness to spread to the rest of the flock so they will chase away and essentially banish it.
Canadian geese that have been banished from their flock due to sickness will often be alone for a couple of weeks until they either get better or perish and then look to find another flock to join.
In some cases, once the Canadian goose has recovered from its illness, it may rejoin the previous flock that had previously banished it.
What Should You Do If You See A Lone Canadian Goose?
If you see lone Canadian goose, the best thing to do is just leave it alone and not try to intervene. In most cases, the lone goose is perfectly fine and is just going about its business.
In many cases, there will be other Canadian geese in the area that you just can’t see but often if you listen carefully, you will be able to hear them.
Canadian geese are highly territorial during the breeding season so you may see lone Canadian geese protecting their nest while their mate is out looking for food.
In this case, it is best to just leave them alone and give them space as they will become agitated if you get too close and may even attack you.
If you are really concerned about a lone Canadian goose that you have seen in your area, the best thing to do would be to contact a local wildlife rehabilitation center or the Audubon Society and they will be able to advise you on what to do.
It is usually obvious if the lone Canadian goose that you can see is sick or injured due to the way that it will move and act.
Most veterinarian offices will offer free treatment to a sick of injured Canadian goose and some areas actually have laws that will compel veterinarians of offer assistance to a sick or injured animal.
Can A Canadian Goose Survive Alone?
A lone Canadian goose can actually survive quite well on its own in the wild and will often only flock up with other geese during the breeding season or when migrating south for the winter.
There is also the case of “Tolley”, a Canadian goose that lived in Stanley Park, Vancouver, CA who would stay in the park year round, even when the rest of the Canadian geese who lived in the part migrated south for the winter.
Tolley lived out his natural life in Stanley Park and although he could fly without issue, he just chose to stay in the park year round and although the locals supplemented his diet during the winter months, for all intensive purposes, for a lone Canadian goose, he did fine.
What Happens When A Canadian Goose’s Partner Dies?
If a mate of a Canadian goose dies, the lone Canadian goose will usually either find another mate or live out the rest of its days alone. In some cases, the lone Canadian goose may try to build a nest and lay eggs but due to not having a mate, the lone Canadian goose will not be able to incubate the eggs and the clutch will fail to mature and hatch.
