Canada geese - Branta canadensis
Photographed in one of the many wetland ponds of Christchurch East.
A goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to North America. It is occasionally called the Canadian Goose, but that name is not strictly correct, according to the American Ornithologists' Union.
Geese can be a pest to farmers because they eat feed intended for stock. Keeping the birds’ numbers down is a challenge for Fish and Game New Zealand (which has a statutory mandate to manage game-bird hunting), which must co-ordinate hunting efforts and respond to farmers’ complaints. Hunters have first priority. However, if they are unsuccessful in keeping bird numbers down, geese may be culled from helicopters, or on the ground when they moult (the birds are briefly flightless as they replace flight feathers). Geese are often culled where they gather in large numbers, such as on the shores of Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere).
Canada geese - Branta canadensis
Photographed in one of the many wetland ponds of Christchurch East.
A goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to North America. It is occasionally called the Canadian Goose, but that name is not strictly correct, according to the American Ornithologists' Union.
Geese can be a pest to farmers because they eat feed intended for stock. Keeping the birds’ numbers down is a challenge for Fish and Game New Zealand (which has a statutory mandate to manage game-bird hunting), which must co-ordinate hunting efforts and respond to farmers’ complaints. Hunters have first priority. However, if they are unsuccessful in keeping bird numbers down, geese may be culled from helicopters, or on the ground when they moult (the birds are briefly flightless as they replace flight feathers). Geese are often culled where they gather in large numbers, such as on the shores of Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere).