OT: Are Canada geese carnivores?

[markE59102]

I have always known Canada geese to be plant-eaters. Even though they love the water, I have never seen them to have any interest in fish.
Until last Sunday.

I caught this happening TWICE on the Wisconsin River. I was able to capture it with my bazooka, but the quality was very poor.

The first one, I actually shot a sequence of three shots of the "fish fry".

The second goose was seen swimming around with a fish in her mouth, with a couple of male mallards following her around, probably waiting for the goose to drop it. Both geese eventually swallowed the fish whole. No leftovers for the ducks!

Like I said, the quality of these shots is very poor, so I won't waste bandwidth. Instead, below is the link for those who care to take a look.

The main reason I bring this up, is to ask if anyone else has ever witnessed a carnivore goose. Maybe I just don't get out enough, but it's a new one on me!

Here's the gallery link:
http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/goose_eating_fish

--
markE
pbase supporter

'In wildness lies the preservation of the world.'
-Henry David Thoreau
-Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/wingsoflight

 

[David W. Brewer]

I have always known Canada geese to be plant-eaters. Even though
they love the water, I have never seen them to have any interest in
fish.
Until last Sunday.
I caught this happening TWICE on the Wisconsin River. I was able to
capture it with my bazooka, but the quality was very poor.

The first one, I actually shot a sequence of three shots of the
"fish fry".

The second goose was seen swimming around with a fish in her mouth,
with a couple of male mallards following her around, probably
waiting for the goose to drop it. Both geese eventually swallowed
the fish whole. No leftovers for the ducks!

Like I said, the quality of these shots is very poor, so I won't
waste bandwidth. Instead, below is the link for those who care to
take a look.

The main reason I bring this up, is to ask if anyone else has ever
witnessed a carnivore goose. Maybe I just don't get out enough, but
it's a new one on me!

Here's the gallery link:
http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/goose_eating_fish

--
markE
pbase supporter

'In wildness lies the preservation of the world.'
-Henry David Thoreau
-Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/wingsoflight

Mark:

The geese here on the lake at home show no hesitation to eating small fish, frogs, etc. If they think it's edible, it's down the hatch!
--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

 

[Marcus O]

I have always known Canada geese to be plant-eaters. Even though
they love the water, I have never seen them to have any interest in
fish.

I have watched them hunt down and eat snails and slugs. Would that classify them as carnivores? I have no recall of seeing a Canada Goose hunt or eat fish.

Marcus O

If you don't know where your are going, you ain't going to get there. - Yogi Berra

 

[Prettyman Photography]

I have always known Canada geese to be plant-eaters. Even though
they love the water, I have never seen them to have any interest in
fish.

I have watched them hunt down and eat snails and slugs. Would that
classify them as carnivores? I have no recall of seeing a Canada
Goose hunt or eat fish.

Marcus O

If you don't know where your are going, you ain't going to get
there. - Yogi Berra

--Once saw a hen mallard pick a freshly filleted salmon carcass clean, up in ALaska. Was very much surprised.

prettyfoto

 

[markE59102]

The geese here on the lake at home show no hesitation to eating
small fish, frogs, etc. If they think it's edible, it's down the
hatch!

In all the years I've been trying to avoid stepping in their cr@p (yes, we have too many, and people keep on feeding them ILLEGALLY!), this is the first time I've seen it. It seems all I ever see them do is munch on grass.

Thanks, David.
--
markE
pbase supporter

'In wildness lies the preservation of the world.'
-Henry David Thoreau
-Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/wingsoflight

 

[markE59102]

I have watched them hunt down and eat snails and slugs. Would that
classify them as carnivores?

I would say so. We have snails, fish, and frogs in the same lagoon I frequent for many of my shoots, so these guys must be having a feast!

Thanks, Marcus.
--
markE
pbase supporter

'In wildness lies the preservation of the world.'
-Henry David Thoreau
-Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/wingsoflight

 

[markE59102]

--Once saw a hen mallard pick a freshly filleted salmon carcass
clean, up in ALaska. Was very much surprised.

Now those ducks are really getting some good grub!

I guess I must get out more often....(SIGH)

--
markE
pbase supporter

'In wildness lies the preservation of the world.'
-Henry David Thoreau
-Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/wingsoflight

 

[David W. Brewer]

I have always known Canada geese to be plant-eaters. Even though
they love the water, I have never seen them to have any interest in
fish.
Until last Sunday.
I caught this happening TWICE on the Wisconsin River. I was able to
capture it with my bazooka, but the quality was very poor.

The first one, I actually shot a sequence of three shots of the
"fish fry".

The second goose was seen swimming around with a fish in her mouth,
with a couple of male mallards following her around, probably
waiting for the goose to drop it. Both geese eventually swallowed
the fish whole. No leftovers for the ducks!

Like I said, the quality of these shots is very poor, so I won't
waste bandwidth. Instead, below is the link for those who care to
take a look.

The main reason I bring this up, is to ask if anyone else has ever
witnessed a carnivore goose. Maybe I just don't get out enough, but
it's a new one on me!

Here's the gallery link:
http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/goose_eating_fish

--
markE
pbase supporter

'In wildness lies the preservation of the world.'
-Henry David Thoreau
-Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/wingsoflight

Mark:

I just opened your gallery and looked at the images of this behavior you posted. I would have to say this is exactly what I have observed here: they capture a small fish, frog, etc., proceed to beat the snoot out of it, tenderize it, etc., then down the hatch. Your images detail this behavior beautifully. The other "carnivore behavior" I see frequently is when a large gaggle of geese are grazing on my point (a three-quarter acre of grassland on a peninsula on our lake) and one spooks a grasshopper or locust. The expression "quick as a duck on a junebug" has nothing on these guys! Watching geese sqabble of the protien in a grasshopper is like watching gulls squabble over a bit of fish or carrion; same behavior. Needless to say, since we have geese on our point probably 5-6 times per week, there aren't a lot of grasshoppers to be found there. Oh, and just for giggles, I'll share another interesting omnivore behavior with you: they love the little green tomatoes growing in my neighbor's garden during the summer (much to his dismay, I might add)!
--
http://www.pbase.com/dwbrewer

'Live, learn, and pass it on.'

 

[daank]

The main reason I bring this up, is to ask if anyone else has ever
witnessed a carnivore goose. Maybe I just don't get out enough, but
it's a new one on me!

--
markE

I was told that geese would eat mice or even rats if they can catch them.

--
Daan

Pictures of insects at:
http://www.kalmeijer.net

 

[markE59102]

I was told that geese would eat mice or even rats if they can catch
them.

I'd like to get a pic of that!

But our geese are too fat to catch anything like that. Everybody and their cousin feeds them bread. Too bad these people don't realize that bread is bad for geese, not to say anything about just screwing up their migrations.

Thanks.

--
markE
pbase supporter

'In wildness lies the preservation of the world.'
-Henry David Thoreau
-Gallery: http://www.pbase.com/marke/gallery/wingsoflight