I'm not certain with geese, but parrots are only "somewhat" self aware, and they're generally seen as a fairly intelligent avian species. I do already see in Cas though, that he knows his name and comes running when it's called. We've tested this theory by using like sounding words or the same voice tone we use to call him, and he definitely knew the difference. I think for them it's comparable to a puppy.Ya, it's not always pretty getting the thing on. Hubby left early this morning on a business trip. I'm going to try getting it on her myself then post the video. Wish me luck!!!
I leave for a few days and come back to find a new addition to our little BYC family. Welcome, Giddy Goose!
Maybe you know the answers to these questions I have pondered ever since getting our goose.
Are they self aware? When Jupiter sees a mirror, will she always think she's looking at another goose or will she realize she is looking at her own reflection?
When I call her name, (provided she isn't being defiant), she looks up and comes to me. She responds to her name, but does she understand that she is Jupiter? Does she understand the concept of names?
I'm so terribly sorry for the loss of your African. The bond we forge with our goose companions is beyond anything I've experienced with another animal. I dread the day her life force leaves her body. I hope that day isn't for a very long time to come. I always thought of all the geese, embdens are the most physically beautiful. Such regal birds with personality to boot!
A puppy learns certain "words" and it's name because it is generally praised or rewarded for responding to it, and done repetitively I'm fairly confident a goose would learn the same way. Whether they are actually self aware or not though, brings about things like "sentience", and just who or what qualifies as a "sentient being". Does a dog looking in a mirror know it's him, or does he think it's another dog? When I hold Biscuit up to a mirror, she doesn't call the image before her "Biscuit", she always says "Pretty baby" just as though I showed her another bird.
A very young human reacts the same way. It's not until around the age of 4 that humans will recognize that the image is them, and they become "self aware". I've participated in psychological experiments were a 2 year old was placed in front of a mirror, and while watching, a dab of finger paint was put on her nose. She touched the paint of the reflection when asked to help remove it. The 4 year old under the same circumstance first touched the reflection, and then her own nose while looking at the reflection and was able to wipe the paint off. It's really quite amazing.
I would tend to think that geese raised as a pet can be TAUGHT certain things, like other pets. But what they really know and understand will always remain somewhat of a mystery. They can experience human emotions like sadness, grief, depression, happiness and joy. But they are still primal beings (compared to humans) and do things based on instinct (animals) more than desire (humans). But, I'm no expert, and no one has yet developed the tech to really learn what a critter is thinking, so until they do, I guess we're kinda clueless!
Exactly what I was thinking, it's hard to tell unless we actually knew what they were thinking. 
