One of the questions we get asked most frequently is: do geese eat fish? The answer is yes! In fact, geese are opportunistic feeders and will pretty much eat anything they can get their beaks on.
This includes small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates in addition to plants and seeds.
Do geese eat fish? We all know that these beautiful birds love to eat grass and other plants, but what about fish? Apparently, geese are not big fans of fish.
In fact, they typically avoid eating them altogether. But there are always exceptions to the rule. There have been reports of geese snacking on dead or dying fish that they find in lakes and ponds.
And while it’s not exactly a gourmet meal, it seems that some geese will eat just about anything!
Do Geese Eat Live Fish?
No, geese do not eat live fish. While they are waterfowl and do eat a lot of aquatic plants and animals, they do not typically eat fish that are still alive.
Geese will mostly go for dead or dying fish as their prey since these will be the easiest to catch and kill.
There are some instances where a goose may go after a live fish, but this is usually only if the fish is very small or injured and unable to put up much of a fight.
What Does a Goose Eat?
A goose’s diet consists mostly of plants, including aquatic vegetation, grasses, and grains. They also eat small invertebrates such as insects and snails.
Does Canada Goose Eat Fish?
Yes, Canadian geese do eat fish. They typically eat fish that are around 10 inches long, but they have been known to eat larger fish as well.
Fish make up a large part of their diet during the summer months when they are raising their young.
Do Geese Eat Baby Fish?
Do geese eat baby fish? Yes, they certainly do! In the wild, geese are opportunistic feeders and will take advantage of whatever food source is available to them.
This includes small fish, which are a favorite food item for many species of goose.
While adult fish can put up a good fight and may be too large for a goose to swallow whole, baby fish are an easy target for these predators. Geese will typically swallow baby fish whole, headfirst.
Goose feeding his fish friends
Do Ducks Eat Fish?
Most ducks eat a variety of foods, including insects, aquatic plants, and small fish. Some ducks, like the merganser, primarily eat fish.
The type of food a duck eats depends on the species of duck and its habitat.
Conclusion
Geese are waterfowl, so it’s not surprising that they eat fish. What is surprising is how much fish they can eat. A single goose can consume up to four pounds of fish a day.
That’s a lot of fish! Most geese eat small fish, such as minnows or sticklebacks. But some species of goose, such as the gannet, will dive deep into the ocean to catch larger prey, such as cod or mackerel.
Interestingly, scientists have found that geese seem to prefer certain types of fish over others.
For example, one study found that geese in Iceland prefer haddock (a type of whitefish) to other types of fish even though haddock make up a small proportion of the overall fish population in Icelandic waters.