Birds are unique and fascinating creatures. They are well-known for their long lives as compared to other animals. Geese are also from the bird group and have been debated on their longevity for a long time. So, we will try to answer the question, “how long do geese live”?
Geese do live from 15 years to 25 years on average, but they can also live more than 30 years. Like other birds, many factors affect the longevity of gees. Their predators, diseases, habitats, egg-laying gap and food are among such factors.
In this post, we will find out the answer to our question deeply. We will also talk about other aspects related to the topic, such as the life span of different geese types, such as Canadian, wild, domestic, and others.
Table of Contents
Which Geese Specie Live Longer?
It is straightforward that the geese type which is domesticated will live longer as compared to wild geese. When it comes to the breed of geese that live the longest lifespan on average, Embden geese is a german geese type and primarily is for breeding. To benefit more from it, they try to provide them with all suitable conditions that help them live longer. Humans also make changes in their genes. Due to these changes, they can get bigger than normal and can defeat diseases that enable them to live a longer life than normal.
According to Gunnies world record book, the age of longest living geese is about 49 and 8 months. The name of this goose was George which is named through its owner Florence Hull, who was a resident of Hornton, Lancashire, UK.
Some other resources also promote the Canadian geese as the oldest living geese in captivity. They said that the age of these geese was almost about more than 33 years. It did not die naturally and was shot in 2001 in Ontario, while it was born in 1969.
How Long Do Geese Live? Different Geese’s Lifespans Explained
Geese is a type of bird that has a grey-white body. The weight of this bird is between the weight of a duck and a swan. These birds are from the Anatidae order. This order contains the bird as geese, swans or ducks. After all this, our main purpose is to talk about the longevity of geese. So, come to the point.
How Long Do Domestic Geese Live?
Domestic geese live more than 20 years, but if we care for them and provide them with appropriate conditions, they can live almost 30 years. Humans make them their pets to get eggs and meat from them. So, those geese we raise to gain meat will die soon, while the others raised to get eggs will live alive. Rather than this, these creatures with pretty looks peacefully impact our minds.
If we want these beautiful and peaceful creatures in our home yard for a long time, we must take care of them properly.
Geese like water the most. So, place water near them and change it time by time.
Their food must be managed properly. They are independent by nature. So, please provide them with a place in abundance and make sure food is easily accessible to them. It is because they eat food after short intervals of time.
Further, they always maintain cleanliness. They may become ill if you do not make the place clean around them. So, it is better to clean the place twice a week.
Most domestic geese are derived from the given below geese. The country’s origin is also discussed with its name.
| Swan Geese | Eastern Asia |
| Hybrid Geese | Australia And North America |
| Greylag Geese | Western Asia, Europe and Northern Africa |
Domestic geese are not modern species. According to many Archaeologists, the tradition of making geese domestic is also found in ancient Egypt. This is so amazing because the civilization of Egypt is more than 4000 years old.
Further discoveries also show that geese were also present on Earth at the time of ancient Greece, Rome, and even during the time of Medieval.
How Long Do Wild Geese Live?
Wildlife is full of threats for every kind of animal. Imagine an animal without having pointed teeth, sharp claws or not any other defensive adaptation that will help it to survive in the forest. So, wild geese live no longer as compared to domestic geese. The life span of wild geese is usually lower than 20 years. It is because many factors affect the longevity of wild geese.
Predators are the very first number among these factors. Geese are an easy hunt for other predators because it is harmless to them. So, most animals choose to eat as their hunt. Foxes, coyotes, snakes, rats, wolves, owls and bears are some of the predators of wild geese. Their ability to fly and swim makes them survive in this brutal environment which is a positive edge for them.
Furthermore, geese can hunt in countries such as Denmark and Ireland. It is because the number of these waterfowl is plenty there. So, it is also a big factor affecting geese’s longevity.
Despite this, some countries have strict laws on such incidents, and some allow hunting these birds in just a limited amount. So, this kind of environment also positively impacts geese’ longevity.
How Long Do Canadian Geese Live?
Canadian geese are not domestic animals in Canada. So, there are rare chances; they must groom at 30 years. They are considered wild animals in Canada, North America and the US, but governments protect these birds. According to these laws, no one can hunt or disturb them while they are in human areas.
So, Canadian geese living in human areas may groom at 30, but those living in the wild will not survive at this age. It is because predators do not follow any rules.
How Long Do Chinese Geese Live?
Chinese geese are domesticated geese and can live nearly 25 years on average.
Gaining meat and eggs from them is also the purpose. Due to this, these geese breed at a higher level. Another thing is that these geese can lay more than 50 eggs in their mating season. They are taller and heavy in weight than other geese species.
How Long Do White Geese Live?
The answer to the question is not simple. We can refer to “white geese” as many domestic geese species. But on average, the lifespan of white geese is from 10 to 20 years.
They are mostly domesticated and rarely found in the wild. Their long necks help them to see predators from long distances, providing them with a suitable time to escape. This kind of factor also affects their life span.
How Long Do Toulouse Geese Live?
These are domesticated type of geese that is well known due to their big grey feathers and heavyweight. Their life span is 10 years, but they can live more than 20 years.
How Long Do African Geese Live?
The usual life span of African geese is from 12 to 15 years, but their life span can be increased with proper care from expectational threats.
Moreover, these geese are not native Africans. These are hybrid birds derived from Greylag geese. The main purpose is to gain eggs and meat from them.
What Are Some Predators Of Geese?
Geese have no adaptations such as predators or other adaptations that help them fight against predators. Some geese have long necks, enabling them to see the danger from a distance. So, they are harmless and easy to hunt for most predators. Below are some common predators of geese.
| Birds | Mammals | Reptiles |
| Falcons | Foxes | Snakes |
| Hawks | Coyotes | Monitor Lizards |
| Owls | Wolves | Snapping Turtles |
| Eagles | Wolves |
Why Most Of The Geese Died In The Early Stage Of Age?
Almost half of the geese’ children die before reaching their first birthday. These are some reasons why it happens;
1. Predators
Geese are harmless and pretty creatures with no adaptations to make any counterattack. Due to this, they have many predators, as we explained above in the post.
2. Infections
Geese also face different kinds of viral and bacterial infections, leading them to death. For example, Avian Flu is a kind of infection that is the cause of most geese’ death during winter.
Parvovirus is another cause of disease that is common in domestic geese. The majority of infected animals go to die of this disease.
Conclusion
How long do geese live? You understand the answer. The longevity of geese species depends on many factors, but normally their life span is from 10 to 25 years. Having a nice habitat with enough food will also positively impact them. Having low predators is also among these factors.
FAQs
How much time can geese live without food?
Adult geese can eat more than 1kg daily. So, not eating food leads them to weakness which will cause many diseases and failure of organs. After all this, the geese cannot survive for a great time without eating food, but the Canadian geese are said to survive almost 30 days without eating food.
How do geese survive winter?
Geese are birds naturally. They possess feathers on their skin and scales on their claws. Feathers help reverse the air due to their flexibility and keep the inner body waterproof. Scales on claws help them to minimize heat loss. Further, they have thick layers of feathers and flow most of the blood to their legs during winter. This helps them to live in very cold temperatures.
They are also migrated animals and can migrate to other areas during winter. They do this due to lake of food, not because their body cannot bear the low temperature.