A female Canada goose on the lake at Glan Llyn.
Female Canadian geese are very similar in appearance to the male. For instance, they also bear a white patch on their necks and a slightly nebulous black neck mark that separates them from other species of waterfowl. They also both possess blackheads with lighter-colored backs and chests.
The main ways to tell them apart are through their behavior and size.
Females are generally more docile than males and have a higher-pitched honking voice. They don’t usually chase people or other animals as much as the males Canadian geese are social animals. The preferred habitat of these birds is wetland areas with plenty of grasslands and water bodies nearby. They feed on grasses, aquatic plants, grain crops, berries, fruit, insects, fish, etc.
A group usually consists of five to six goslings, along with a couple of adults, usually male and female. The family works together to protect their young and can be very aggressive when threatened. When winter arrives, they migrate in flocks to warmer climates.
Males and females typically have different behaviors. Females are less territorial and tend to be less aggressive. Females are more likely to leave the territory when threatened. They also gather in flocks to migrate, but the size is usually much smaller.
While you may not tell the difference from a distance, the females are smaller and have a more slender neck than the males. Although you might not tell the difference just by looking, the female Canadian geese are typically 10% smaller than males. They also weigh less, with about 5.5-12 pounds.
These large, heavy birds have long necks and legs, blackheads with an iridescent sheen. Like their male counterparts, they have grayish-brown wings, white patches on their bellies, and short bills.
Some female Canadian geese also have grey bodies. Furthermore, their wings can be blackish with white along the sides and underneath their primaries (outer wing feathers). They also have a white neck ring and a brownish head.
