Goose, any of various large heavy-bodied waterfowl intermediate in size and build between large ducks and swans, especially those of the genera Anser (so-called gray geese) and Branta (so-called black geese) in the bird family Anatidae. The neck is always shorter than the body. The bill is humped at the base and tapered toward the tip; the plates of the bill are adapted for grasping the sedges and grasses upon which geese feed.
When angry, geese vibrate their neck feathers; after routing an intruder, the gander utters a triumphant note that is echoed by his mate and young goslings.
Wild geese pair for life and associate in flocks called gaggles. Simple nests are built on the ground. The rough-surfaced, whitish eggs are incubated for about a month by the hen while the gander stands guard. The downy young fend for themselves almost at once but remain with their parents during the first summer. Geese may survive for 10–15 years in the wild and more than 30 years in captivity.
