Canada Geese Animal Symbolism, Facts and Affirmations

In Native American Lore, if you were born between December 22 – January 19, the Goose is considered your Birth Animal and the Woodpecker is considered your Polarity Animal. If you were born between June 22 – July 21, the Goose is your Polarity Animal and the Woodpecker is your Birth Animal.

Canada Geese are fun water birds that hallmark the cycles of nature. Canada Geese hold a special place in my husband’s heart because they remind him of his Grandma Bertha. She loved Canada Geese and instilled in Dave a love for nature and all God’s creatures. Dave wrote in his Nature’s Guy blog:

“When I stayed with Grandma in her lakeside cottage in central Wisconsin, she taught me well. No matter what she was doing, no matter how busy she was, if she heard sounds of the harbinger birds of spring, the wild Canada geese flying, or if she got a call from my aunt, or from her niece Fern, “the geese are flying,” she would put down whatever she was doing, quickly throw on a coat, and head out for a walk in the crisp spring or autumn air, looking heavenward, listening for the sounds of geese by the thousands, gleefully pointing them out as they flew overhead in their familiar V formation.”
David Kuhns, “Heeding Nature’s Call to Love Her”

Whenever Dave sees the Canada Geese fly, he feels as if his grandma is near. He is reminded of her love for him and her love for nature.

Fun Facts About Canada Geese

Canada Geese migrating over our property in Ringgold, Georgia.

Canada Geese are water birds that migrant from the Northern US to Southern US and into Mexico once the weather starts to get cold. When migrating, Canadian geese fly in a V formation (called chevrons) of 30 to 100 birds. Each bird flies at a slightly higher level than the previous bird. This creates a draft that makes it easier for the following birds to fly. It’s like how driving your car behind a semi-truck creates a beneficial, gas-saving draft.

You usually hear geese honking as they fly. This is a form of communication where they let each other know when it’s time to swap positions. This keeps any one bird from becoming too exhausted.

With a favorable wind, Canada Geese can travel close to 1500 miles in about 24 hours. They fly at about 40 miles per hour and can go up to 70 miles an hour with a strong tailwind.

Flock of Canada Geese flying over Mud Creek, Winneconne, Wisconsin. Taken April 10, 2023

The Nurturing Nature of Canada Geese

Canada Geese spend a lot of time nurturing their young. The mother selects the location for the nest while the male protects and defends the nest. The female lays between 4 and 7 eggs and incubates them for up to 30 days.

Baby geese (called goslings) learn to swim within 24 hours of hatching. Their parents start teaching them to fly at two months. After spending a year or so with the adults, goslings are independent enough to go off and start groups with other geese their age. Groups of 100 goslings are called “gang broods.”

When they’re two to three years of age, Canada geese start the process of selecting a mate. Geese look for a mate that is roughly the same size as them. They are monogamous birds who mate for life. They can be with the same mate for up to 20 years. The only reason they’d select another mate is if their mate dies.

Geese never leave a wounded or slow goose behind. They look after their own and are incredibly protective. They can fight off other geese and even predators by slapping their wings, biting, or grabbing another bird’s throat. Ganders can be especially fierce and will do whatever it takes to protect their mate and goslings. They won’t back down from a fight and have been known to attack an elk if they have to.

Canada Geese Animal Symbolism

Canada Geese symbolize the following:

community,
communication,
caring and compassion,
nurturing,
loving ties,
protecting those we love,
that there is a special someone for each of us, and
knowing when to lead and when to follow.

For Native Americans, geese represent the Winter Solstice. They represent the cycles of our lives since their migration marks time and the passage of a year.