11 Types of Geese in Florida

Name	Name
	Canada Goose
	Snow Goose
	Ross’s Goose
	Greater White-fronted Goose
	Egyptian Goose
	Brant
	Cackling Goose
	Mute Swan
	Tundra Swan
	Wood Duck
	Muscovy Duck

Types of Geese in Florida

1. Canada Goose

The Canada Goose is the world’s largest Goose, ranging in length from around 29.4 inches to 43.2 inches (74 to 113 cm).

It possesses brownish-gray feathers on its back, wings, beak, and tail, in addition to a brownish neck and head.

Its cheeks are white.

It is the biggest species of its genus, which is called Branta, and it contains all other species of geese, with the exception of enormous species, notably Emperor Geese and Snow Geese. 

The natural range of the Canada geese (Branta canadensis) extends throughout a significant portion of North America, notably Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico.

2. Snow Goose

A huge bird that may be spotted across North America, Europe, and Asia is called the Snow Goose.

It is the most frequent goose found all over the globe and the biggest bird found across North America. 

The head and neck of the Snow Goose are colored gray, and it has a white underbelly and a striped pattern on its flanks.

Its top parts appear white, whereas its bottom parts have plumage that is a light grayish or brownish-gray color with black tips. 

These feathers may be seen on the sides, back, and chest of the bird.

The female possesses brown eyes, as opposed to the orange eyes that are characteristic of males.

The male’s head is shiny green, and his face is white.

The Snow Goose spends its breeding season above the tree line in Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and the northeastern tip of Siberia. 

In the cold season, it migrates to the warmer regions of North America, which stretch from the southwestern portion of British Columbia via the western portion of the United States and Mexico.

3. Ross’s Goose

A huge bird that may be seen across Florida and other regions of the Americas is known as the Ross’s Goose.

It is a member of the genus Anser, and it is a bird that travels during migration. 

It is possible for it to be rather noisy, in addition to becoming pretty massive.

It is able to get food, including aquatic plants and tubers, because it lives in close proximity to bodies of water, like ponds or lakes (roots). 

This bird is present on the land, but it prefers to be near water since that is where the majority of the food it consumes can be found.

4. Greater White-fronted Goose

There are a few different names for the Greater White-fronted Goose.

While it is named a “resident” goose, all geese are considered to be migratory birds. 

Hence, the term “resident” goose does not truly represent anything in terms of categorization.

To answer your question, yes, this is the exact same goose that we refer to as a “migratory” goose.

You can notice how complicated everything becomes!

In any event, the Greater White-fronted Goose may be observed across Florida during the winter months since it spends most of its time west of the Mississippi River. 

It indicates that it stays here throughout the year and does not go south for the wintertime as the majority of other geese do; rather, it chooses to remain put in this location (for now). 

This enormous bird’s white forehead and black head patterns, both of which are rather identifiable characteristics, are where the name of this species comes from.

Lincoln’s estimations of population size during that time period showed an annual average of around 2.3 million adults despite the varying overall population across North America.

5. Egyptian Goose

While it is a bird that travels around the world, the Egyptian Goose may be seen in high numbers in Florida.

It is dispersed over the state in tiny clusters that huddle together for mutual defense. 

These geese are largely herbivorous, meaning that they consume grasses, stems, berries, and seeds in addition to a wide variety of other types of plants and algae. 

Their diet may include the rare meal of insects or other tiny animals, but the majority of their food comes from plant debris.

Since they don’t enjoy having their feathers wet too often, Egyptian Geese will go into freshwater lakes when necessary rather than saltwater seas as wide other varieties of geese do.

This is because Egyptian Geese don’t really like getting their plumage wet.

6. Brant

The Brant goose is a species of tiny geese native to North America.

The goose in question has a black beak, legs, and feet, in addition to a white rump and dark-wing plumage. 

The belly of the Atlantic Brant, found in eastern North America, seems to have a varied brown and white coloration.  

In contrast to its typically black feathers, the brant found in the western High Arctic has chest color feathers traits that are more similar to the light gray of brants found on the Atlantic coast.

The brant, commonly known as the Brent goose, is a goose that is indigenous to both Canada and the United States.

The Brant is well-known for its resilience, as seen by the fact that it has been seen flying through snowstorms that would force other birds to remain on the ground. 

Nevertheless, this may be due to the fact that such circumstances don’t affect them very much anyhow.

7. Cackling Goose

There are Cackling Geese that spend the winter in Florida, and that is true.

One of these species, known as the Cackling Goose, calls the state home during the winter months. 

At this season, big flocks of them may be seen on ponds and lakes, in addition to marshes, prairies, and bogs.

They can also be seen in prairie grasslands.

They are also highly versatile when it comes to their eating habits; during the summer months, they devour both land plants and water flora, which enables them to easily thrive in warmer regions like Florida. 

In point of fact, they got their name from the distinctive sound they make, which is “caack-caack-caack-caaakkkk!”

8. Mute Swan

There is a species of swan known as the Mute Swan, which can be found across both Europe and North America.

You might be acquainted with this bird. It is also present in Asia, but you have certainly never seen it there. 

This isn’t due to the fact that they are uncommon; rather, it is due to their being so large and hostile that people choose to avoid them.

The adult height of a Mute Swan may range anywhere from 54 to 61 inches (129 to 156 centimeters).

The average weight of a Mute Swan ranges from 8 to 17 pounds, making them the heaviest species of waterfowl found in both Europe and North America. 

You would believe that due to their size, mute swans are unable to fly like other waterfowl; however, this is not the case.

Mute Swans are capable of flight.

9. Tundra Swan

The Tundra Swan is a huge swan with a black and white pattern that lives in the tundra of Alaska and Canada. 

It is not a bird that has been tamed or domesticated; rather, it is a migratory bird that travels between its nesting sites and its wintering sites periodically.

The adult Tundra Swan possesses a black beak, red eyes, and feathered legs to maintain its temperature while it swims in freezing waters.

Its bill is black, and its feathers are red.

The color of their feathers may vary from a very light grayish white to pitch black.

10. Wood Duck

It is not necessary to be a wood duck in order to recognize that among all of our feathered companions, wood ducks are some of the most stunning in appearance. 

These little birds are known for their outgoing personalities and are easily identified by their bright green heads, red beak, and yellow eyes.

They are widespread throughout the state of Florida, inhabiting marine and freshwater environments alike.

The wood duck is a migratory bird that spends the winter in central Mexico and then returns back to Florida each spring as soon as the temperature gets warm adequately to allow them to re-establish their nesting sites here at home, which normally occurs around the months of March and April.

The fact that wood ducks consume acorns and many other nuts throughout the whole year makes them a popular target for hunters who are looking for some nice birds to prepare for supper.

11. Muscovy Duck

The male Muscovy duck may reach up to 16 pounds, while females typically average between 8 and 10 pounds.

This makes the Muscovy the biggest species of duck in the world.

These ducks may be found in Mexico, Central America, and South America in their natural habitat.

The Muscovy duck is easy to recognize because of its long neck, large beak, and long tail feathers, which give it a look that is similar to that of a swan. 

They are also excellent swimmers due to the fact that their feet are webbed.

They are so skilled at it, in fact, that some people have actually seen them dive underwater chasing fish or frogs across shallow streams.

This is a behavior that is not shared with a lot of other waterfowl species that are native to Florida.

Conclusion

Last Updated on April 28, 2023 by Lily Aldrin