Canada Geese Staying Warm

03/06/2020, 4:30 PM, Stoneleigh-Burnham Riding School in Greenfield, Massachusetts, partly cloudy, about 40 degrees, wind speed= 5 mph North, dry field next to pond.
As I was driving down from Vermont to Connecticut, I noticed a lot of Canada Geese migrating north. I found it odd that they were migrating this early in the year. However, it has been unseasonably warm recently, especially in New England. It is possible that due to the warmer temperatures, the geese are confused, thinking that it is later in the year than it is. This could be problematic if it gets cold again, and the geese are up in Vermont. They are not used to being in the snow for long periods, which is why they migrate south.
When I stopped in Greenfield to get gas, I noticed many geese at the Stoneleigh-Burnham Riding School. When I stopped to observe their behaviors, I noticed that some of the geese were standing on one leg. This helped them preserve their body heat, since they do not have feathers on their legs. Some of the other geese were laying down, which would further help conserve their body heat, because they do not have either of their legs exposed to the cold.
When I kept walking around the campus of the Stoneleigh-Burnham School, I noticed a couple of robins in a neighboring field. They did not seem to be as effected by the cold as the robins did. One of them puffed their feathers on their chest very briefly, but other than that they seemed to carry on their normal activities. The robins I observed were in a bush on the edge of a forest and a field. They seemed to be looking for food. This would differ from their behavior in the spring because in the spring and summer, they would probably be looking in the fields for worms and insects. These creatures would be much more sustainable to eat because they would provide more nutrients and proteins.
It is very interesting to observe the difference in bird behaviors in the winter and the other seasons. Not only do they need to warm themselves but they also have to find different foods to eat and different ways to harvest their energy.

Posted on March 7, 2020 01:45 AM by eisloan9 eisloan9

Observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Observer

eisloan9

Date

March 6, 2020

Photos / Sounds

No photos or sounds

Observer

eisloan9

Date

March 6, 2020

Comments

It’s interesting, are there any other birds migrating too early? Cause we have many migrants returning back for a month earlier than they would in other years.

Posted by marina_gorbunova about 4 years ago

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