Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Subfamily: Anserinae
Tribe: Anserini
Genus: Branta
Species: B. canadensis
Binomial name: Branta Canadensis
Common name: Canada goose
Branta Canadensis a native to North America is a large, long-necked goose with dark upperparts and paler underparts grading to white on vent. The head and neck are black with a white chin bar. Body is usually grey-brown, although varies from dark brown to grey in different races. White semi-circle above black tail is visible in flight.
Branta Canadensis breeding range is all areas south of Auckland. Birds in the two successful New Zealand liberations of 1905 and 1920 were from uncertain sources and were probably of mixed stock. It follows that the New Zealand population may not be a true subspecies. NorthIsland populations have been establishing since liberations of Lake Ellesmere birds in the 1970s. The LakeEllesmere population has the largest annual aggregation (7000 - 12000 birds), and occasionally birds from other populations visit this lake.
The Canada goose was introduced to New Zealand as a game bird and has since provided many landowners with nothing but trouble. It puts huge pressure on the environment, damaging crops and spoiling waterways with excrement and competing with native birds for resources and they are even an air traffic hazard. On the 17 MAR 2011, the Government announced that the Canada goose will no longer be protected as a game bird and they can now be hunted freely as a pest due to their rapid expansion.
Canada goose (Branta canadensis) photographed on Lake Mangamahoe, New Plymouth
Feeding on grass.
Parents with seven goslings.
Two famiies of geese. November.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
