Goose stomping dance?

[larkflying]

Since I put the goslings and their mom's out with the rest of the geese, all of the adults are suddenly doing this funny stomp dance . . . it makes us laugh to watch . . . What on earth are they doing? We are having a lot of fun making up reasons. I haven't been able to get a video of mine, but here is a video of a Canadian goose doing the same thing.

What do you think?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

That is interesting. I haven't noticed the Canada geese on our pond doing that around their goslings. I am curious about the purpose, too.

 

[larkflying]

Apparently it is obscure -- couldn't believe it when I saw my geese doing it. They are so dignified, but the dance is NOT dignified . . which is why we were laughing.

Ah, well, it will just be a goose mystery. But I am still going to try to video my geese doing it.

 

[sourland]

The Canada goose looks as if it is hunting worms - trying to force them out of the ground by stomping. It is something that I have never seen or heard of. With your geese could it be excitement on the part of the flock because of the new arrivals?

 

[larkflying]

My trio that hasn't hatched out any goslings has never done the dance, so my guess is that it is gosling related, since only the 5 that are raising the goslings are doing it. Excitement, or maybe - come here, this is really good? It is a mystery to me.

 

[boxedcow]

I don't have babies, but both my gander and goose as well have done this. They usually do it when the ground is wet and they are digging around, kinda like playing in puddles. Some rare occasions my ducks have too.

 

[Haunted55]

Funny, my ducks, pekins and mallards, were doing it today as well! Never having had ducks before it was a shock to see them stomping in the mud puddles just like little kids. I never knew they did that. I know that here they were forcing the nightcrawlers up out of the ground. All of a sudden you'd see a duck running around with a big ole worm hanging out of it's bill.

 

[visualeyes]

odd..... here in oregon, my two year old toulouse gander JUST started to do this,too..... he goes over to an old dog bone, moves it around, puts leaves on it and starts stomping the ground around it.... we also have the mated goose and three week old goslings around when he does this.... same place each time.... we have worms everywhere and it jsut seems odd that this is so specific to a single spot

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Ours do it in puddles, dogs food dish and water dish. It's funny to see a curly goose stomping in mud.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

My do it aswell i find it quite adorable.