Hi and welcome back to Let Me Finish My Animal Facts,
where I talk way too much about animals that people tend to overlook or, in the case of today's subject, actively attempt to avoid.
Let's talk about geese.
It’s definitely planning something.
Most people's experience with geese is running away from them in a park, being hissed at on an otherwise relaxing stroll, or watching them bring traffic to a halt like they own the road. But allow me a few moments to consider geese with a little more interest and maybe some respect.
More Than Just Honkers
Geese are typically thought of as annoying pests, but they're actually quite intelligent and loyal animals.
They make lifetime mates, they tend to their goslings in pairs, and they recognize faces. That goose that bit you last summer? Yep. It probably knew exactly what it was doing.
Most fascinating to me is how they are organized. They travel in the famous V-formation when they migrate not just because it's beautiful to watch (though it is), but because it saves energy. They each take turns being in front so that the others can rest. That's teamwork from which humans can learn.
Fierce, Yet Protective
Sure, geese might be mean. But usually, they're only defending themselves. During nesting season, they're on high alert not because they're vile, but because they're parents.
I once sat on a bench near a pair of geese and watched them switch off between guarding the nest and going off to eat. Every few minutes, one would waddle back, honk softly, and the other would calmly move aside and rest. It was like watching a silent agreement play out no drama, no showing off. Just instinct and trust.
Room for Both Fear and Fascination
It's okay to be a little scared of geese. They're aggressive. But there's something admirable in how they live so passionately so unabashedly occupy space. There's no second-guessing a goose. No "maybe it didn't mean that." It always means it.
And honestly, I think that might be why I love to talk about animals so much. Even the ones we think are pests or scary have a story that's worth telling if we're willing to listen beyond the din and take them seriously.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time with another animal that doesn't get its due.
(Or gets too much we'll see.)
If you have a favorite creature that you'd like me to highlight, let me know in the comments or through a message. I would love to geek out about it.
And don't forget to follow for more animal facts you didn’t know you needed.
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