the editor talks with you

The Canada geese stop by our cove about this time each year. They migrate south for the winter without making airline reservations, standing in security lines or worrying about lost luggage. All they need they have with them. I sometimes think they are far smarter than we suspect. They don’t cut grass, wash dishes, vacuum carpets or pay taxes. They don’t go to war and their children don’t take opioids or talk back. They have no idea what a divorce is or why anyone needs one. They mate for life.

a little research about our fine feathered friends might demonstrate why they may be smarter than we think. For starters, they are Canada geese, not Canadian geese. And they are but 1 of 8 species of geese. They are named for Canada, their original breeding ground. Canada geese are monogamous. They begin breeding when they are 2 years old. They only seek a new mate if their former mate has died or has become lost. My wife is smart like that, She hangs on to me because she is suspicious of my sense of direction – as well she should – and aims to make sure I don’t wander off somewhere.

geese have a short courtship. If the male and female like one another, the male begins by bobbing his head up and down. As they draw near, they face each other and bob their heads in unison. If the female begins to follow the male, it means she has accepted him as a partner. If she moves away from him, or does not bob her head, it means she rejected him. A rejected male moves on to another female bobbing his head to try again. Neither my wife nor I knew what all this head bobbing was about but I knew I liked her. I feared she might reject me so I tried to appear uninterested. Bad move on my part. Fortunately, it didn’t fool her.

Males will fight over females. If a male intrudes on the courting head bobbing between a male and female, the two males will chase each other biting and beating each other with their wings. My competition was my roommate who saw her first and set out to court her. Male geese express their anger with loud honking. I never honked at my roommate. I knew why he wanted to court her. When one male gives up, the successful male approaches the female, head down and neck rolling from side to side accompanied by loud hissing and honking. Unaware that honking was a strategy, I retaliated by helping my roommate get a better job in another state.

After a battle, the winner comes to his intended mate, bobs his head and lifts his tail to proclaim his success. If the female accepts him, she will follow his display, continuing the courtship. Other than when a fight ensues, their courtship is short. Mine trundled us off to the local Presbyterian minister without protest from me. After a separation mated pairs roll their heads back and forth and honk loudly. Whenever my wife and I had been separated and reunited, hugs in front of the children were acceptable. The rest had to wait until they were safely asleep.

Next: Poverty at Christmas.

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