

noun In keno, the globe from which the numbered balls are withdrawn.transitive verb To give a spurt of fuel to (a car, for example) cause to accelerate quickly.transitive verb To move to action spur.transitive verb To poke, prod, or pinch (a person) between or on the buttocks.noun Slang A poke, prod, or pinch between or on the buttocks.noun A tailor's pressing iron with a long curved handle.noun The flesh of such a bird used as food.noun Any of various wild or domesticated waterbirds of the family Anatidae, and especially of the genera Anser, Branta, and Chen, characteristically having a shorter neck than that of a swan and a shorter, more pointed bill than that of a duck.Grab your binoculars and look for that signature V-formation in the sky.From The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition. This park is a popular stopping point for them during their annual migration. Now is the perfect time to view Canada geese in the marshland along the boardwalk at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Also, this formation makes it easier for each bird to see the next one to prevent colliding while in flight.Ĭanada geese are large birds, weighing up to 7 pounds (males) and 5.5 pounds (females) with a wingspan of up to 60 inches or 5 feet. This allows each subsequent bird to expend less energy, thus extending the period of time a flock can fly as opposed to flying solo. The first is that this formation allows for each subsequent bird to receive lift from the wingtip vortex of the bird ahead of it.

Have you ever noticed that these Canada geese fly in a V-shaped formation ? There are two explanations for this.

Others will remain in the area if there is enough water and abundant food despite the cold weather. Some will migrate south as cooler temperatures set in the North. During this period, Canada geese are vulnerable and will hang around a body of water to escape from predators and other threats.īy fall, both the adults and goslings will be ready to fly. The adults will molt during the summer months to replace old and damaged flight feathers. Goslings are not born able to fly and will molt early in their first year to make room for full-flight feathers. The last thing you want is to be chased by geese honking at you for getting too close!Īll ducks go through a molting phase where they shed old feathers to make room for new ones. Seeing those fluffy goslings during the spring and early summer months is enough to activate that “I must touch it” feeling, but remember that these birds are wild animals. A mating pair can raise one clutch each year ranging in size from 1 to 10 goslings with 5 or 6 being the average. Newly hatched geese, called goslings, are golden-yellow with black. Their feathers range in color from black to brown to white. They are easy to spot due in part to their all-black heads with signature white cheeks that connect under the chin. The Canada goose or Branta canadensis is a wild duck with calls that sound like honks, barks, cackles, and the occasional hiss. However, in Washington, DC this sound is heard from birds passing in the sky. In most major cities, you expect to hear a honk or two from drivers. In News Read this month’s Species Spotlight on the Canada Goose!
