A Look at What Geese Eat, Whether Domesticated or in the Wild
Let's avoid making the silly goose diet the next viral trend.
Published July 30 2024, 11:32 a.m. ET
![A young man feeds wild birds in a park while sitting on the grass.](https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/0PjgLumG4/480x251/what-do-geese-eat-0-1722293234119.jpg?position=top 480w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/0PjgLumG4/640x335/what-do-geese-eat-0-1722293234119.jpg?position=top 640w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/0PjgLumG4/768x402/what-do-geese-eat-0-1722293234119.jpg?position=top 768w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/0PjgLumG4/1024x536/what-do-geese-eat-0-1722293234119.jpg?position=top 1024w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/0PjgLumG4/1280x670/what-do-geese-eat-0-1722293234119.jpg?position=top 1280w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/0PjgLumG4/1440x753/what-do-geese-eat-0-1722293234119.jpg?position=top 1440w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/0PjgLumG4/1600x837/what-do-geese-eat-0-1722293234119.jpg?position=top 1600w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/0PjgLumG4/2160x1130/what-do-geese-eat-0-1722293234119.jpg?position=top 2160w)
If you have a thriving community vegetable garden in an urban or metropolitan space, you can expect geese to flock to your veggie haven for a tasty treat. A goose's strong beak, capable of breaking down materials, compensates for a goose's lack of teeth, giving rise to the question: what exactly can geese consume in the wild?
If you spot a silly goose in your backyard, strutting about on an animal sanctuary farm or near a body of water, pay attention to the goose's natural behaviors as it looks for food. Without human interference, a goose's diet is an interestingarray of nutrient sources.
![A goose in a park field consumes grass with its goslings.](https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/wtfTEs-ai/480x252/what-do-geese-eat-1-1722293703765.jpg 480w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/wtfTEs-ai/640x335/what-do-geese-eat-1-1722293703765.jpg 640w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/wtfTEs-ai/768x402/what-do-geese-eat-1-1722293703765.jpg 768w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/wtfTEs-ai/1024x536/what-do-geese-eat-1-1722293703765.jpg 1024w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/wtfTEs-ai/1280x670/what-do-geese-eat-1-1722293703765.jpg 1280w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/wtfTEs-ai/1440x754/what-do-geese-eat-1-1722293703765.jpg 1440w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/wtfTEs-ai/1600x838/what-do-geese-eat-1-1722293703765.jpg 1600w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/wtfTEs-ai/2160x1131/what-do-geese-eat-1-1722293703765.jpg 2160w)
What do geese eat?
If you hear the trademark honk of a goose and the chirps of goslings beside it, you can bet they are likely walking around to find a tasty and safe spot to find food. According to goose control company Geese Relief, the birds can be found near sources of water or areas with grassy fields, such as parks, and their diet includes:
- berries
- bulbs
- grain
- leaves of grass
- roots
- seeds
- shoots
- stems
According to A Garden Diary, geese have also been known to consume insects. These insects provide a great source of protein for the geese and can include:
- beetles
- caterpillars
- earthworms
While geese love different grass types (including the protein-rich ryegrass, the vitamin-rich clover grass, and hydrating aquatic plants) geese may also chow down on snails and small fish present in the bodies of water nearest them.
Because geese prefer being near bodies of water, their diet is influenced by the aquatic life available. When not snacking on earth-bound insects and different types of grasses, geese have been known to combine their love of insects and water life by finding tasty insects underwater. Per A Garden Diary, the water insects that geese enjoy eating include:
- damselflies
- water boatmen
- midges
![Four Canadian geese are pictured flying](https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/96W5DUN_e/480x252/what-do-geese-eat-2-1722294581836.jpg 480w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/96W5DUN_e/640x335/what-do-geese-eat-2-1722294581836.jpg 640w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/96W5DUN_e/768x402/what-do-geese-eat-2-1722294581836.jpg 768w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/96W5DUN_e/1024x536/what-do-geese-eat-2-1722294581836.jpg 1024w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/96W5DUN_e/1280x670/what-do-geese-eat-2-1722294581836.jpg 1280w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/96W5DUN_e/1440x754/what-do-geese-eat-2-1722294581836.jpg 1440w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/96W5DUN_e/1600x838/what-do-geese-eat-2-1722294581836.jpg 1600w, https://media.greenmatters.com/brand-img/96W5DUN_e/2160x1131/what-do-geese-eat-2-1722294581836.jpg 2160w)
What do Canadian geese eat?
Canadian geese, according to the National Audubon Society, are famous for flying in a "V" formation and are one way that informally portends the changing of seasons. Canadian geese are what's known as foragers, and they graze on land and water alike.
Canadian geese are also popular for submerging their heads and necks under the water to find their next meal.
Still, per the National Audubon Society, the diet of Canadian geese nevertheless consists of diverse sources of food that are nearly identical to the diet of general geese species described above. This includes:
- plants
- grasses
- seeds
- berries.
When they are available, insects, small fish, and other aquatic plants, bugs, and animals provide sources of nutrition for Canadian geese.
According to Wild Goose Chase, Inc., Canadian geese change their diets depending on the season. A seasonal breakdown of a Canadian goose's diet includes:
- Spring and Summer: different types of grasses as well as caddisflies, which are also known as sedge flies.
- Fall and Winter: berries and seeds.
- Year-round: different types of grasses, depending on the region where Canadian geese are found.