Canada Goose Population Analysis
Canada Goose has surged: up 105× on the route-weighted index since 1968.
About the Canada Goose
The familiar black-necked goose of lakes, parks and golf courses, the Canada Goose has become a year-round fixture across much of the continent.
- Size
- 29.5–43.5 in long, 6.6–11 lb (75–110 cm, 3–5 kg)
- Habitat
- Lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes and sheltered coastal waters.
- Diet
- Grasses, sedges, grain and aquatic plants, grazed on land and water.
- Range
- Recorded on 2,764 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 49 states, most concentrated in the Appalachian Mountains.
- Family
- Anatidae · Waterfowl
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Notable Canada Goose TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →
Canada Goose has surged in surveyed states: up 105× on the route-weighted index since 1968.
Canada Goose Population Forecast
If the recent trend holds, Canada Goose is projected to rise about 39% by 2030 — from 6.7 in 2025 to a central estimate of 9.3 (95% range 7.6–11). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±20.5%, with 60% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.
Where the Canada Goose Is Detected
BBS routes recording Canada Goose, sized by most recent count.
Canada Goose Population Trend by State
Canada Goose Population Trend by Region
Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.
Canada Goose Conservation Status
Least Concern
The IUCN Red List rates this species as Least Concern. Our route-weighted index shows it up about 10393% since 1968.
Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-08-14. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.