Birds/Nature

If It Looks Like a Duck, It Might Be a Goose

Geese differ from ducks in at least a dozen ways

CANADA GOOSE — Image by Gauri Sirur

“That’s a beautiful duck!” my niece commented when we were walking in her neighborhood.

“I think it’s a Canada goose,” I said. (Lead photo)

“It kind of… looks like a duck,” was her response.

People often mistake geese for ducks. I know I did. But my niece’s words got me thinking: What’s the difference between the two?

Here’s what I found —

Ducks and geese are kin. They both belong to the Anatidae family. Still, these two species of waterfowl differ in a wide range of characteristics, such as:

• Size: The average length for geese is between 30–50 inches. They have longer bodies than ducks that come in at 15–30 inches.
• Weight: Geese are heavier than ducks. They weigh between 4–20 pounds. Ducks tip the scale at 2–5 pounds.
• Length of neck: Geese have longer necks with 17–24 neck bones. Ducks have 16 or fewer neck bones.
• Coloration: Geese come in a combination of four colors: black, grey, brown, and white. Although the male goose is larger than its mate, there is no difference in coloration between the…