How Long Do Geese Live? Compelling Facts About Water Birds

Geese are a group of waterfowl animals that are related to the duck and swan families.

Geese are mostly grey, white, and sometimes black in color. These animals are larger in size than ducks but smaller in size than swans.

They are mostly found in freshwater areas in the Northern Hemisphere. These animals have a life expectancy of 10-15 years of age. These animals usually live in a flock.

Both male and female geese are alike in coloration, but males are larger in size than females. The geese have a different bill design from ducks as they have a curvier bill compared to the flatter bills of ducks. The geese have a longer neck than ducks but shorter than swans. Wild geese are known to mate for life and live in flocks. Geese can live up to more than 30 years in captivity if properly taken care of.

If you are looking for more fascinating facts, check out these fun facts articles on how long ducks live and animals with big eyes. 

Different Types Of Geese And Their Lifespans 

There are many types of geese, depending on the region the geese are from. The lifespans of geese also depend on their type. How long geese live depends on many factors as well.

Geese are often hunted by humans and animals; fortunately, their ability to fly helps them in escaping some of these human and animal attacks.

The Canada goose is a big bird; it is also the most common of all the geese. They are found in the Arctic and North America but migrate during the winter months across the Atlantic towards Europe. They fly in flocks. They are found mostly near freshwater sources.

These geese can live up to 10-24 years of age in the wild. In captivity, they can live up to 42 years of age if cared for properly.

Canada geese mate for life, but in the event of the death of one, the other takes up another mate. The female Canada goose lays two to nine eggs in one nesting season. Both sexes of the Canada goose spend time nesting the egg until it hatches.

African geese are known to be the longest-living geese. This bird can live up to 25 years of age if treated properly. These geese are known to withstand extreme winters. The male and female goose have different calls to help in identification. These geese are the result of selective breeding between the swan goose and Chinese goose.

Chinese geese are among the most common poultry birds that are used for eggs. These birds are much larger than most other geese. Female Chinese geese are known to lay around 60 eggs in one nesting season.

The average lifespan of these geese is up to 15-20 years. The quantity of eggs produced by these geese makes them a good farm pet. These birds are usually kept as pets or for commercial purposes as their eggs are bigger in size than duck eggs.

Swan geese or white geese are particular breeds of birds that are predominantly domesticated birds. These birds are rarely found in the wild. They are long-necked and known to be good guard birds as they alert owners about predators. These birds can have a lifespan of 20 years in age. These geese are known to have the best breast for meat production due to being heavier in weight.

Toulouse geese are another breed of geese that are bred in captivity. These birds are found only on farms. This bird is a popular farm pet and is known to have a life of about 22 years. These geese are specifically bred for commercial purposes in France.

The American buff is the most common breed of goose in America for the consumption of meat. They are known to have a life span of up to 25 years.

The Pomeranian and the Embden are two of the most popular goose breeds in Germany. These are known to withstand snow and harsh winters. They are known to have an average life expectancy of 12 years.

How long can a goose live in captivity?

Geese tend to live up to 10-15 years in the wild. However, there are reports of geese that live longer when kept in captivity.

Domestic geese are kept for many reasons, including eggs, meat, pets, or guards due to their aggressive behavior when threatened by predators. Unlike the wild goose, the domestic goose can mate with multiple partners in captivity, thus making it good for commercial use.

In proper conditions, with a proper diet, geese can live for up to 30 years in captivity. Domestic geese, which are kept as pets, are often hybrid breeds of some common types of geese.

Health Tips For Pet Geese

Geese are great pets and live a longer life if they are kept in proper conditions.

Geese are supposed to be fed food throughout the day to maintain their energy. They require water at all times; hence it is important to have a water source near them at all times. Geese mostly only eat grass as their main food, so it is important that they are kept in an area that has an ample supply of grass for them. You can also use wheat, corn, barley, and food that is made specifically for waterfowl to feed your geese to help them maintain their energy.

Geese can suffer many kinds of health problems throughout their lives. Here are a few health tips to help keep your cute friends healthy.

Geese are flock birds and need to be kept in a flock to help them maintain healthy lifestyles. They should be mated by the time they are two years old.

Except for Canada geese, all other breeds can have three to four mates.

The temperature should be monitored to help keep your geese warm. Geese should not be let out in the open in cold temperatures. This can cause your geese to fall sick, as most breeds are not adapted to snow.

In the early ages of geese, their food habits need to be monitored, and they need to be kept in warm places until they can develop their feathers.

Extreme drops in temperature or low-quality food can cause your geese to fall sick.

You should also have a sheltered and open space for your geese as stress due to confinement can make them sick.

The Longest Living Goose

There are stories that geese can live up to 100 years in age, though they are very hard to believe!

The longest living goose in history was a barnacle goose who had a life span of 30 years and four months in the year 1986. The BBC reported a sighting of this goose during the migration month in the winter.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our facts about how long geese live, then why not take a look at our articles on how long doves live or pond animals?