Is the eggs chance of survival reduced by the mothers frequent absences?
Although the female only leaves the nest briefly to drink, feed or bathe, the chance of survival is reduced by the mother’s absences as the eggs are more exposed to predators and the cold when she is gone. The gander stands guard nearby to defend the nest from intruders which increases their chance for survival. There is also a chance that the female may be killed by a predator. The most common causes of nest failure are abandonment, flooding or predation. It is estimated that at least half of Canada geese die within their first year of life, as nestlings, fledglings or during their first migration. Once a goose survives past its first year, most individuals can live from 10 to 24 years in the wild.
