Fun Chinese Goose Facts For Kids

The Chinese goose is a descendant of the wild swan goose. It has a docile temperament. For this reason, it is one of the most popular Chinese goose breeds. The Chinese goose has two color variations, white Chinese goose and gray-brown Chinese goose.

They are mainly reared in poultry farms for egg and meat production. They are also used for ornamental purposes. This goose breed is native to Asia.

They are very active as well as graceful. Out of both the colors the white ones are more in demand. The prominent knob, slender neck, and colored eyes are their most attractive features. They produce twice as many eggs during the breeding season compared to other goose breeds.

To find out more about the Chinese goose facts, keep reading and do check out our other articles on muscovy duck facts and crested duck facts.

Chinese Goose Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Chinese goose?

The Chinese goose is a member of the Anser genus. It is a type of bird.

What class of animal does a Chinese goose belong to?

The Chinese goose belongs to the Aves class of the Animalia kingdom.

How many Chinese geese are there in the world?

There are 50,000-60,000 Chinese geese. The population of this breed is decreasing and the numbers might be less than 40,000 in the next decade.

Despite being the most prolific goose breed and laying several eggs, the Chinese goose is facing a constant fall in numbers. They are hunted for their meat and egg production. During the breeding season, the eggs laid have a high mortality rate within the first 40 days.

Where does a Chinese goose live?

This breed is native to Asia and is found in Mongolia.

What is a Chinese goose's habitat?

Chinese geese can adapt to a wide variety of environments. They are mainly found in pelagic areas, lakes, and ponds.

They also inhabit areas adjacent to rivers, streams, coastal and brackish water. They prefer areas with moderate temperatures and can't survive extreme temperatures. Domestic geese thrive in open grasslands, while the geese in the wild are often spotted in savannahs.

Who do Chinese geese live with?

They protect each other, especially the goslings. For this reason, the Chinese goose lives in groups or small clans consisting of three to nine members.

The goslings are capable of taking care of themselves right after they hatch. But they tend to live with the mothers for a longer period of time. The gaggle or group consists of one dominating male and two to three sentries.

The work of a sentry is to look out for predators while others are feeding or incubating. The roles are switched from time to time.

How long does a Chinese goose live?

The geese in the wild live shorter lives than the ones in captivity. This is due to the availability of food and protection from predators. The Chinese goose lifespan is 20 years, and under proper care, they can live up to as many as 40 years.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season begins in February and lasts throughout June. The female birds of this breed reach sexual maturity between 32-35 weeks. The males attain maturity two weeks later than the females. They are oviparous and reproduce by laying eggs.

They lay 50-60 eggs during the breeding season and can lay up to 200 eggs a year. The eggs are incubated for about a month and hatch between March and June. This bird has exceptional brooding skills.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the Chinese goose is Vulnerable as per the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. They have become rare due to extensive poultry farming.

Chinese Goose Fun Facts

What do Chinese geese look like?

The Chinese goose has two types of breeds, the white Chinese goose and the gray-brown Chinese goose. They have a small body and their body type is comparable to that of other breeds. The white Chinese goose has an orange bill, webbed feet, and a knob on top of the bill.

They have light blue eyes and pure white plumage. The brown Chinese goose has brown eyes.

The webbed feet are orange and the bill is black. They also have a brown line running down the backside of the neck. Both of them have slender necks.

Minor color differences between male and female species are possible. The knob on the bill is prominent in males.

The slightly bent neck is very similar to the neck of a swan goose. Chinese goose goslings have a pronounced knob when they are six to eight weeks old. The males are slightly heavier than the females.

How cute are they?

Their graceful necks, brown and blue eyes, and pure outlook are admirable features. They are one of the most beautiful breeds of goose.

How do they communicate?

Chinese geese are some of the loudest geese. The males produce a high-pitched noise which is similar to bike horns.

The females are quiet and emit low-pitched oink sounds. The goslings are not loud, but they make continuous noises, especially when they are hungry. The adult males and females can also hiss and make loud noises similar to screaming or shouting when they sense danger or feel threatened.

How big is a Chinese goose?

Brown Chinese geese are one of the smallest domesticated geese. They can be between 32-37 in (81-94 cm). The maximum length across the wings is 63-73 in (160-185 cm).

How fast can a Chinese goose move?

The exact speed at which Chinese geese travel is not known. However, wild geese are capable of traveling long distances.

How much does a Chinese goose weigh?

Normally, males are heavier than females. Domestic Chinese geese are heavy and well-fed compared to wild Chinese geese. The weight of a male goose is usually around 11-22 lbs (5-10 kg) and the weight of a female goose is 8.8-19.8 lbs (4-9 kg), which is four times the weight of a snow goose.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The female Chinese goose is called a goose. The males are called ganders. Together as a group, the geese are referred to as gaggle.

What would you call a baby Chinese goose?

Baby Chinese geese, similar to all other geese, can be referred to as goslings.

What do they eat?

They are herbivorous and eat all the leafy foods we consume. They love weeds like plantain leaves, clover, and dandelions.

Their diet also includes leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. They eat flowering plants and cereal grains from time to time. They are mainly hunted by humans and rarely by other animals like bobcats, hawks, opossums, snakes, skunks, owls, and bears.

Are they dangerous?

Their temperament is determined by how they are raised. In general, they are calm and friendly and can be slightly aggressive.

However, very rarely, when people other than the ones who take care of them go near the eggs or step into their territory, they become violent and will start chasing or making loud, irritating noises. This graceful goose can even bite when it is highly irritated.

Would they make a good pet?

The Chinese goose is often the first preference in farming. They are more sociable and active than other goose breeds. If you rear them as goslings, they are amiable. This goose is also easy to maintain and eats most of the items that are common in our households. They can adapt to changes quickly and would make excellent pets.

Did you know...

The brown Chinese goose is similar to the wild swan goose and the white Chinese goose shares a lot of characteristics with the African goose.

The Chinese goose breed is the best guardian breed.

The meat of this goose breed is considered to be very tasty, hence these birds are reared on poultry farms.

For breeding, a goose with a prominent chest and a small body is preferred. The ones with drooping shoulders are avoided.

The Chinese goslings are very interactive and fun to be around.

Can Chinese geese fly?

The domesticated Chinese goose breed is very active and capable of flying. But they rarely fly.

They are well-fed and heavy compared to the wild geese, which makes it hard for them to fly. Contrary to this, the wild Chinese goose is a migratory bird and travels long distances. It is often seen migrating from the eastern regions to the western regions of China.

How often do Chinese geese lay eggs?

Chinese geese lay around 30-45 eggs per year. How often they reproduce depends on the individual and varies from one individual to another. The older Chinese geese are seen laying eggs one or two times and the egg production reduces as they grow old.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our kelp goose facts and African pygmy goose facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Chinese geese coloring pages.