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In recent years, due mainly to amazing documentaries and studies on animals, scientists have learned that many species of animals are much more intelligent and capable of far greater and complex communications than previously thought. It has been learned for example, that elephants communicate in sounds and decibels not detectable to the human ear, dolphins have names for each other and crows are capable of using tools to get to food sources.
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I personally am not aware of specific intelligence and language studies conducted on Canada geese, but I speculate (somewhat confidently) that were such done, they would demonstrate Canada geese to be among the smartest and most communicative animals of our planet.
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Part of the reason for that conjecture is the resilience, adaptability and rebound capabilities of Canada geese. For a species tottering on the brink of near-extinction during the last century, Canada geese have rebounded extraordinarily over the past 40 to 50 years to the point they are now ubiquitous throughout North American and even other parts of the world.
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Moreover, despite thousands of other species facing peril and extinction due to human encroachment, over-hunting and environmental changes, Canada geese have managed to not just survive, but actually thrive and proliferate.
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Such seems to point to extraordinary intelligence and resilience in the face of great and challenging odds.
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Nevertheless, I am neither a scientist nor documentary producer.
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I am simply someone who enjoys watching geese and then recording those observations in a blog.
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For the past two months, I have been observing the migratory Canada geese who briefly stop by the Central Park Reservoir during their long journeys south.
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Though such are usually deemed "rest stops," they appear to be far more than just for rest alone.
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They also appear to represent opportunities for regrouping, reorganizing, strategic planning and even roll calls.
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During the month of October, it was typical to see the geese carefully organize themselves into various groups immediately following sunrise. (This was in preparation for take-off.)
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To the casual eye, such might appear random and inconsequential, but I don't think it was.
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The geese appeared to take a lot of time and care into separating themselves into their specific flocks and even more time determining when exactly, was the right time to take off. Often the entire process took a little more than an hour.
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But, one by one, all the gaggles would eventually take flight from the water -- usually in skeins of ten to twenty geese. All would exit the exact same, north east path out of the Reservoir (and Central Park) and head in an eastern direction towards Queens; far away from midtown Manhattan skyscrapers.
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November has seen some alteration in pattern with seemingly most of the migratory geese arriving at the Reservoir some time during the late afternoons and departing an hour after sunset.
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But, the painstaking organization and strategical planning has remained the same with often, loud and raucous "discussions" taking place beforehand.
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This past week, I was particularly struck by communications occurring among the geese all across the water and from one flock to the other.
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It was so animated as to make 70 to 80 geese sound like hundreds.
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Were they doing roll calls I wondered? Were they deciding how large flying skeins should be or specifically what paths to take?
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Not only were the communications loud and excitable, but they were also extraordinarily complex with many variations in textures, pitch and tones. Some of the geese sounded like dogs barking; others sounded like coyotes or wolves howling. Still others sounded like children playing.
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(Ah, what I wouldn't have given to understand exactly what they were saying and communicating to each other!)
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Eventually however, all the geese took off from the water as expected. Only the other night, they left in two very large skeins of first, 30 geese and then about 40. (Unusual for the typical 10 to 20 geese that one sees flying in NYC.) So was that what all the "discussion" was about? The apparent decision to fly in two large skeins, rather than the typical four to six? Moreover, what was the reason for the change in flying pattern and behavior?
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I don't know of course. But, it's absolutely certain that there is much organizing, strategy planning and communications that occur before geese actually take off during migrations.
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Canada geese are not birds who fly randomly or for the sheer fun or adventure of it. Flying is very serious business for them. They are extremely purposeful and communicative before any and all flying pursuits.
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And sometimes the geese are secretive and very good at "hiding" their plans from us (dumb) humans.
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I am reminded of the geese who hatched and raised their three goslings at the Reservoir this past summer.
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Though I knew it was inevitable that Hansel and Greta would leave the Reservoir once their babies could fly, I was totally unprepared when they actually did in mid August.
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That was because I had never seen the babies even test their wings, let alone fly!
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Apparently any testing or teaching to fly occurred out of the sights of human eyes (as has also been true of other goose families observed in the past). One day they are there and the next day, the entire family is gone -- not to be seen again until the following spring! (And we as their observers never had a clue!)
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Goose hunting season has again occurred throughout most of the country this past month.
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I now wonder if this is the reason for the migratory geese to change their flying behavior pattern during November, electing now to do most of their flying at night? As noted, most of the take-offs during October were in early morning, whereas most of those in November have been at night.
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All those "discussions" are apparently not for nothing. Small wonder, "Outdoor" columnists often write about the difficulties inherit in Canada goose hunting and all the maneuvers necessary to try to shoot and "outsmart" them.
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Hunters are not going to agree with me on much of anything. But, I think few would argue with the contention that Canada geese are among the smartest, most intelligent and adaptable animals on the planet.
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Just spend a few hours listening to and observing Canada geese before they take off during their spring and fall migrations.
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Their language and communication skills might actually be every bit as nuanced, intricate and complex as our own.
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It would not surprise me to learn that Canada geese, like humans and dolphins, actually have names for each other.
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Certainly, each one has special identity, role and place in the flock. -- PCA
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