After spending a wonderful 6 weeks in Grand Teton National Park, I am back in Iowa. As I venture out to the local lakes and wetlands, it seems Canada Geese are everywhere. They are already selecting and defending their nesting territories.
The subspecies of geese that nest in Iowa are known as the Giant Canada Geese. While quite plentiful now, it wasn’t that many years ago that this subspecies was extirpated from Iowa. By the 1930s, it was rare to find this goose across the lower 48 states. In fact, many people thought it was extinct. The primary reasons were unregulated subsistence hunting, egg gathering, and destruction of habitat. Fortunately, in the early 1900s, multiple Midwest game breeders had trapped and penned up some of these wild geese.
In 1964, the Iowa Conservation Commission (now known as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources) began a restoration program at Ingham Lake Wildlife Management Area in Emmet County. The first 16 pairs of geese came from the penned up wild flocks. In subsequent years, many more restoration programs across Iowa laid the groundwork for the successful comeback of the Giant Canada Goose.
Now, 56 years later, it seems like you can find a pair on just about any water body, regardless of size.
Interesting tidbit: While frequently called the Canadian Goose, the correct name is Canada Goose.
Hello Mr Stan,
Glad they let you back into our state of Iowa. Great images as always.
Don
Thank you Don. Hopefully, we can get together soon. Let me know if you get over towards Carroll.
Welcome home! Your photos of the geese are great.
Thank you Carol. It sure is different to be back in Iowa.
Hi Stan,
I first learned about the Giant Canadian Geese at Springbrook State Park with my 6th graders. I learned so many things there about Iowa and her wildlife!
Beautiful photos btw,
Mary
It is so sad that the Springbrook Conservation Education Center closed. I am glad you took the opportunity to take your students there.
I agree…so sad. What a wonderful experience for people of all ages it was. Maybe after all the isolation and teaching at home is over, the state will come to appreciate the education presented at our CECs. I think I’ll write to them again and encourage they take a second look at it.
I did not have the opportunity to go to Springbrook as a student but attended several adult trainings there. I did get to go over to Prairie Rose State Park while in grade school and remember it well. The outdoor classroom and experience were awesome. You may never know the impact you had on your students by taking them to Springbrook.