One of the 4 geese on WAnimals
Birds · Anseriformes · Anatidae
Domestic Goose
Anser anser domesticus
It has not yet been assessed against the IUCN criteria. See full glossary
The domestic goose descends from the European greylag goose and was domesticated more than 3,000 years ago, probably in Egypt and in central Europe. It is a herbivore and grazes grass with notable efficiency. It forms lasting pair bonds and shows a fidelity to place and a territorial aggressiveness that have made it the traditional guardian of farms and warehouses since antiquity.
Weight
3.5 kg – 11 kg
Size
75 cm – 95 cm
Lifespan
20 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Sighting difficulty
Unknown
Fun facts
- GeneralDomesticated in Egypt over 3,000 years ago; the Romans kept it on the walls as an alarm.
- All the European domestic goose breeds belong to this form, derived from the greylag goose, which is regarded as the first bird domesticated by humans.
- In Spanish wetlands, hybrids between wild and domestic greylags are frequently seen, recognisable by ochre patches on the wings and neck.
- The EFSA includes it in its opinion on animal welfare, which expressly covers foie gras production.
- The geese of the Capitol saved Rome according to Livy: their clamour gave warning of a night attack by the Gauls in 390 BC, and from then on they were honoured in the city.
- Konrad Lorenz discovered imprinting while working with goslings: the young follow the first moving object they see on hatching, and the work earned him the Nobel Prize in 1973.
- They are still used as an alarm system today: several Scottish distilleries and warehouses around the world keep geese for their reliability in warning of intruders.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Farms, ponds, damp meadows and yards worldwide
- Sexual maturity
- 2 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 29 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 6 eggs
Sources consulted: EFSA 2023, Welfare of ducks, geese and quail on farm (Scientific Opinion); Waste Magazine; Rodríguez Alonso y Palacios Alberti 2018, Enciclopedia Virtual de los Vertebrados Españoles (MNCN-CSIC); Linnaeus 1758
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Domestic Goose — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Red-crested Pochard
Netta rufina
Ruddy Shelduck
Tadorna ferruginea
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