The Goose Who Thinks He is a Sandhill Crane

In Homer, Alaska, there lives a goose who thinks he is a Sandhill Crane. He travels all over Homer with the cranes, eating, sleeping, and flying with them. He takes no guff from any of the cranes. It will be interesting to see if the goose makes it down to the wintering grounds in California with the cranes and back again in the spring.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Sandhill
• Cranes
• Lesser
• Canada
• Goose
• Homer
• Alaska
• Kachemak
• Crane
• Watch
• International
• Foundation
• Nina
• Faust
• Ed

[mountainjustice]

Thanks for your sandhill crane videos, they are nice.

Kentucky just opened a hunting season on sandhill cranes and there is much public opposition to the hunt. Letters to the editor of the two main Kentucky newspapers (the Herald-Leader in Lexington and the Courier Journal in Louisville) from out of state residents opposing the hunt are very helpful.

Thanks

[aknina51]

@mountainjustice Thanks, will do.

[aknina51]

I noticed that he was eating a lot of grass, and when he is where corn is available, he does eat that. There is a pond on our property so he can get some aquatic food there. Likely they roost in a place where there is water, so he can also feed there.

[aknina51]

Thanks! That is the theory and rather makes sense. He seems very imprinted on cranes!

[lilsuzq32]

@KutWrite (continued): I have also come to an understanding with two or three of the geese. They can take food from my hands, as long as they don't bite me, hiss at me, or try to break my arms with their wings. However, I'm not quite that friendly with the other wildlife here in the Chicago suburbs, i.e.: skunks, raccoons, red-tailed hawks, and coyotes.

[lilsuzq32]

@KutWrite: I live in Illinois, and we have tons of geese here year 'round. Yes, they eat veggies, mostly lawns and golf courses here (LOL!). They MAY eat some meat, but they are mostly vegetarians. The geese here in my condo complex in Buffalo Grove, IL, will also eat anything that I toss out to them: they LOVE left-over cat food, not to mention stale chips/tortillas/bread. (continued below)

[KutWrite]

He seems to keep up with them when they fly.

He also seems to mimic their calls.

Wonder about diet, though. Don't geese eat aquatic animals & veggies?

[Opossy]

Wow! Great video Nina. To think that he hatched out in the nest of crane and then was raised by the flock is really something!