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Migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south, undertaken by many species of birds. Migration is marked by its annual seasonality and movement between breeding and non-breeding areas. [16] Nonmigratory bird movements include those made in response to environmental changes including in food availability, habitat, or weather.
Canada geese range from 75 to 110 cm (30 to 43 in) in length and have a 127–185 cm (50–73 in) wingspan. [16] Among standard measurements, the wing chord can range from 39 to 55 cm (15 + 1 ⁄ 2 to 21 + 1 ⁄ 2 in), the tarsus can range from 6.9 to 10.6 cm (2 + 11 ⁄ 16 to 4 + 3 ⁄ 16 in) and the bill can range from 4.1 to 6.8 cm (1 + 5 ...
It hosts over 250 bird species and serves as an important resting and feeding site for migrating and wintering waterfowl, [8] including more than 35,000 Canada geese and 15,000 ducks using the Atlantic Flyway during the fall migration. [9] The refuge is home to one of the highest concentrations of nesting bald eagles on the Atlantic coast. [10]
Geese in a V-formation may conserve 12–20% of the energy they would need to fly alone. [ 102 ] [ 103 ] Red knots and dunlins were found in radar studies to fly 5 km per hour faster in flocks than when they were flying alone. [ 104 ]
The bird is pale grey and is easily distinguished from any of the other grey geese of the genus Anser by the black bars on its head. It is also much paler than the other geese in this genus. In flight, its call is a typical goose honking. A mid-sized goose, it measures 71–76 cm (28–30 in) in total length and weighs 1.87–3.2 kg (4.1–7.1 lb).
Three to six eggs are laid in early to mid-May in Iceland, late May in Svalbard, with incubation lasting 26–27 days. On hatching, the goslings accompany the parents on foot to the nearest lake, where they fledge after about 56 days. Southbound migration is from mid-September to early October, and northbound from mid-April to early May. [3]
Since the 1950s, increases in winter temperatures have resulted in greylag geese breeding in northern and central Europe, reducing their winter migration distances or even becoming resident. [ 15 ] [ 16 ] [ 21 ] Wintering grounds closer to home can therefore be exploited, meaning that the geese can return to set up breeding territories earlier ...
[1] [2] [3] As such, there is no simple accepted definition of migration. [4] One of the most commonly used definitions, proposed by the zoologist J. S. Kennedy [ 5 ] is Migratory behavior is persistent and straightened-out movement effected by the animal's own locomotory exertions or by its active embarkation on a vehicle.