Geese Recognize Faces

[Oregon Blues]

My 2 new geese have nice manners. From day one, I have been in their pen accompanied by 2 small dogs. If the dogs get too close to the gander, he will give out a half-hearted hiss but not actually move, or even stand up.

Yesterday, I took my 3rd dog, all by himself. All three dogs are the same breed, same size, same color and markings. People can't usually tell the difference, but that gander went bonkers. He was rushing at the dog, hissing his head off and flapping his wings. I couldn't let the dog inside the pen and the gander was running along the fence threatening the dog.

The new young goose joined in with the threats, hissing, flapping wings. They started when the dog was still 50 feet away from their pen, so they could see at a distance he was strange dog.

OK, I get it. Not your dog. No strange dogs allowed.

My older goose, however, ignored the whole incident. She'd seen the dog many times before and apparently thinks he belongs here and he is no worry to her.

There is really very little difference in the way the dogs look. I can tell them apart because they are my dogs, but a lot of people can't tell them apart. That's some good vision on those geese,

 

[clbarley]

I wonder if it is more then just facial recognition, maybe that dog walks different, sounds different or smells different then the others....

 

[larkflying]

Geese are so smart -- amazing that they could tell the dogs apart! Wonder what it was about the third dog . . .

Mine always know strangers (well, right now, we are all strangers to the ganders in breeding season) I will have to experiment this summer and see if it is the silhouette or the voice or what . . . now the experiment would just have hissing geese, because that is all the ganders do all day . . . so looking forward to May and the end of the breeding season, gosling or no goslings I'm tired of having to keep ganders in line . . .

 

[Oregon Blues]

They just notice everything. If I wear a hat, they are upset until I speak to them. They notice anything different.

The usual dog was out with me yesterday and in the goose pen and there was no reaction from the geese until the dog foolishly went to the doorway of the nest. Then the young goose rushed over, hissing and flapping.

But she didn't chase the dog. She went inside the nest, carefully counted the eggs, and then stood guard in the doorway. The older geese were heads up and watching, but let the young goose handle it. I suspect because she is the bottom of the hierarchy, she gets stuck with all the babysitting duties.