H.J. Ruiz – Avian101 – Page 635 – "My Backyard Visitors" – All about birds

Goose Patrol

While I was at the pond last week, shooting some pictures for my blog. As you might have seen on previous photo gallery of ducks. What I did not mention at that time was the presence of a group of white geese also frolicked around the pond. That by itself it wouldn’t be anything out of the ordinary… if what I witnessed and photographed wouldn’t have happened. My first time to have witnessed an event at the pond that I’d never have expected!.

A female white goose was normally swimming aroung the pond by herself when suddenly a male goose sped his swimming and jumped on top of the female, the male goose weigh almost double the weigh of a female, he held the female on a tight grip and forcibly dipping her head under water he proceeded to the act of copulating. Her struggle was futile. She could hardly keep her head out of the water to breathe. The struggle continued for a few minutes when suddenly another male goose came rushing and knocked the attacker from the top of the female and the fierce fight ensued, very violent and without mercy. The bout took a few minutes and the abuser was chased while he escaped. The female was shaken and left the scene shortly.

As a witness with my camera I personally thought that the female was raped by her attacker which was challenged and beaten by another male that valiantly rescued her.

Why do I think that? I have witnessed many avians, including ducks and geese when copulation was consummated, was always consensual and within the normal natural ways.

In this case there was intent to a deliberate act and force was involved!. The way that the attacker was acting before the aggression led me to think that something was going to happen, the way he was waiting until she was far enough from the others, also the sudden sprint on swimming speed to catch up to her, she never saw that coming!

I’m still trying to process the attacker’s behavior, I have never read about anything similar to that. I’ll keep researching!

Photo Gallery

: # 1 – Attacker

: #2

: # 3

: # 4

: # 5

: # 6

: # 7

: # 8

: # 9

: # 10

: # 11 – Hero rescuer

Text and photos © HJ Ruiz – Avian101

Tags: birds, Interesting information, nature, photography, photos of birds, White Chinese Goose

No Shortness of Birds

My backyard is getting more visitors lately that weather is warming a bit. From being icy, it has turned into rainy and windy, alas!. At least, birds are better prepared for those weather elements.

For me is a little more complicated because the seeds are blown all over or get the feeders soaked and wet. So there’s always a factor of difficulty when feeding birds.

l should add that when it rains hard I don’t go outside because it would not help anything because most birds rather look for shelter and wait for a lighter rain in order to avoid getting to wet that would impede them from flying fast in case of a predator would show up!. Another reason would be that refilling feeders under heavy rain is a waste of seeds hence ($).

Once the rain is over I see birds coming out of all trees and bushes in the surrounding area and… the banquet begins!. I love to observe what ingenuity birds demonstrate as well as the skills to procure their daily meals.