Although their heavy weight affects their ability to fly, most breeds of domestic geese are capable of flight. This affects their body structure whereas wild geese have a horizontal posture and slim rear end, domesticated geese lay down large fat deposits toward the tail end, giving a fat rear and forcing the bird into a more upright posture. Characteristics ĭomestic geese have been selectively bred for size, with some breeds weighing up to 10 kilograms (22 lb), compared to the maximum of 3.5 kilograms (7.7 lb) for the wild swan goose and 4.1 kilograms (9.0 lb) for the wild greylag goose. Archaeological evidence of the domestic goose in northern Europe indicates that it was probably introduced into Scandinavia during the Early Iron Age (400 BCE–550 CE). In the Medieval Period, goose husbandry was at its peak with large flocks kept by peasants. Certainly, fully domesticated geese were present during the New Kingdom times in Egypt (1552–1151 BCE) and contemporaneously in Europe, and goose husbandry involving several varieties was well established by the Romans by the 1st century BCE. Geese were also herded by ancient Mesopotamians for food and sacrifices and depicted in Mesopotamian art from the early Dynastic Period (2900–2350 BCE) onwards. Another potential domestication site is in Egypt during the Old Kingdom (2686–1991 BCE) due to iconographic evidence of goose exploitation, but this scenario for the original domestication event has been considered less likely. It has been proposed that geese were domesticated around 3000 BCE in southeastern Europe, possibly in Greece, but reliable evidence of domestic geese comes from a much later period (8th century BCE) in The Odyssey. There is archaeological evidence for domesticated geese in Egypt more than 4,000 years ago. Ĭharles Darwin remarked in The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication that the domestication of geese is of a very ancient date. Chinese geese may be readily distinguished from European geese by the large knob at the base of the bill, though hybrids may exhibit every degree of variation between the two species. Both have been widely introduced in more recent times, and modern flocks in both areas (and elsewhere, such as Australia and North America) may consist of either species or hybrids between them. In eastern Asia, the original domesticated geese are derived from the swan goose ( Anser cygnoides) these are commonly known as Chinese geese. In Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, the original domesticated geese are derived from the greylag goose ( Anser anser). Domestic geese have been derived through selective breeding from the wild greylag goose ( Anser anser domesticus) and swan goose ( Anser cygnoides domesticus). Canada geese in the UK and USA are one such example - many no longer migrate.A domestic goose is a goose that humans have domesticated and kept for their meat, eggs, or down feathers. Over time, some populations of geese have become more sedentary and don’t migrate as far, if at all. There have even been anecdotal reports of them flying over Everest!Ĭanada, Brent, Barnacle, Greylag and Snow geese can all travel more than 1,800 miles (3,000km) each year. For example, Bar-headed geese frequently cross the Himalayas during migration, flying at altitudes of over 27,000ft. There are some extraordinarily strong flyers amongst geese. Winter numbers of geese in the UK, western and central Europe and in-land USA skyrocket in the winter. Geese are powerful flyers and often make long migratory trips south from their Arctic, sub-Arctic and tundra breeding grounds. Nearly all species of geese are naturally migratory, but some populations are growing increasingly sedentary. Many species of goose are extremely cold-hardy and breed in the furthest reaches of the Arctic circle, so do geese migrate? Geese are prolific birds of the Anatidae family and are divided into two main genera the white and grey geese of Anser and the black geese of Branta.
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