Canada Geese In Line Astern

[Mikefule]

This surprised me this morning.

I have spent much of my life around rivers, canals and lakes. I sail, I own an inflatable boat, I kayak, and I cycle along river banks and towpaths. I am used to seeing Canada geese either randomly dotted on the water, or on the bank, or flying overhead.

Today, I saw 17 Canada geese purposefully swimming along the canal in Nottingham, in "line astern": a very definite single file, and proceeding quite briskly as if they had to get somewhere definite. You can see their wakes in the pictures.

I stopped alongside intending to take photos and this broke up the rear of the formation as they seemed to think I was going to feed them. I then rode ahead and they reformed the line slightly less perfectly, and that is when I took these images.

 

[Nosmo King]

This surprised me this morning.

I have spent much of my life around rivers, canals and lakes. I sail, I own an inflatable boat, I kayak, and I cycle along river banks and towpaths. I am used to seeing Canada geese either randomly dotted on the water, or on the bank, or flying overhead.

Today, I saw 17 Canada geese purposefully swimming along the canal in Nottingham, in "line astern": a very definite single file, and proceeding quite briskly as if they had to get somewhere definite. You can see their wakes in the pictures.

I stopped alongside intending to take photos and this broke up the rear of the formation as they seemed to think I was going to feed them. I then rode ahead and they reformed the line slightly less perfectly, and that is when I took these images.

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Were they travelling upstream? If they were i would suggest they are doing something similar to what they do in flight, whete they use the lead bird to make it easier and less effort for all the others, the 'V' formation, they regularly swap front runners so each bird takes a turn, did you notice them do this on the water?

 

[Mikefule]

Were they travelling upstream? If they were i would suggest they are doing something similar to what they do in flight, whete they use the lead bird to make it easier and less effort for all the others, the 'V' formation, they regularly swap front runners so each bird takes a turn, did you notice them do this on the water?

Technically they were travelling upstream, but it is a canal, which means only a negligible current. I only watched them for a minute or so because I was on my way to work, but I did not see them change the leader. I ride along this particular stretch of towpath 3 times a week and have never seen this behaviour before.

 

[Coastaljames]

Beautiful pics @Mikefule , thank you so much for sharing! What an amazing and lucky sight for you!

 

[Coastaljames]

It's not an uncommon formation. Nobody really seems to know whey they do it...I would think it maybe is something they pick up when young...

I would imagine it's just comfort really...and efficency...helps them stay together and all get where they're meant to be going in the same group. Not unlike the "crocodile" you used to have to walk in at school when on a field trip.

I think your guys and gals were just uncommonly good at it. I reckon they've been practising!