They waddle cushioned
green feedbeds, nibbling new shoots
in crisp autumn air.

They rise as one, one pink dawn,
Wings in formation, on the way…

 

 

The Aleutian Canada Goose is mostly a herbivore, and is a primary consumer. They eat: grasses, berries, sedges, aquatic vegetation, legumes, succulents, clover, cultivated grains, corn, wheat, barley, soybean, and seeds. They sometimes also eat: small fish, crustaceans, and insects. They feed in areas that are relatively open so they can see potential predators or other dangers. The Aleutian Canada Goose usually eats at least 1/2 pounds of food each day.

The Aleutian (aka Cackling) [Branta hutchinsii] Goose [not much bigger than a mallard duck] and the Canadian Goose are virtually identical—so much so that until 2004, they were considered one species: Branta canadensis. … But size varies, and some smaller Canada Geese (females and immature birds especially) can stay nearly as compact…