Canada Goslings

A couple weeks ago at the Sourland Mountain Preserve, I met these juvenile Canada Geese siblings swimming near a parent. They're still a little less than half the size of an adult, but they've lost the yellow feathers they had when they were newly hatched. This is one of the stages a Canada Goose goes through on the way to adulthood.

Although they're clearly on the path towards adult feathering, the feathers still look pretty fluffy to me. I suspect these feathers are geared more for warmth than flight. Though they swim well now, they probably won't be able to fly until they have their adult plumage.

May 27, 2021 at Sourland Mountain Preserve
Photo 133210217, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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