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Goose (plural geese) is the general English name for a considerable number of birds, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than geese, and ducks, which are smaller.
Introduction
This article deals with the true geese in the subfamily Anserinae. A number of other waterbirds, mainly related to the shelducks, have "goose" as part of their name.
True geese are medium to large birds, always (with the exception of the Néné) associated to a greater or lesser extent with water. Most species in Europe, Asia and North America are strongly migratory as wild birds, breeding in the far north and wintering much further south. However, escapes and introductions have led to resident feral populations of several species.
Geese have been domesticated for centuries. In the West, farmyard geese are descended from the Greylag, but in Asia the Swan Goose has been farmed for at least as long.
All geese eat an exclusively vegetarian diet, and can become pests when flocks feed on arable crops or inhabit ponds or grassy areas in urban evnironments.
Geese mate for life, though a small number will "divorce" and remate. They tend to lay a smaller number of eggs than ducks, however, both parents protect the nest and young, which usually results in a higher survival rate for the young geese, known as goslings.
Not all couples are heterosexual, as both females and males will form long-term same-sex couples with greater or lesser frequency depending on species (Bagemihl, 1999). See Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, and Snow Goose
A group on the ground is called a gaggle. When flying, a group of geese is known as a wedge or a skein
(Source: Wikipedia.org)
Relevant Web Resources: Geese Breeds (Oklahoma State University - OSU) ... Geese Breeds Info & Pictures (FeatherSite) ... Arctic Nesting Geese: Alaskan Populations - USGS
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