Birds that mate for life - Canadian geese - is it love?

Canada goose driving off competition.  Munson Pond, Kelowna.  Feb 14, 2026.

It's Valentine's Day today, and an excellent time to talk about monogamous birds, such as the Canada goose.  But is it love?

Monogamy is the word that describes species that mate more than once in their lifetime, and only with the same partner.  There are a surprising number of bird species that behave this way.  Male and female, they find each other, usually both young and both inexperienced with mating, and they stay together.  For years.  How long? - Canada geese may live up to 25 years in the wild, but often live up to their early twenties.  Imagine staying together with the same partner for that long.  Better than many humans.

Canada geese are monogamous.  They mate for life.  If a partner dies, they will eventually find another to mate with, but not right away.  They typically go through a period of mourning.  Yes, they are sad, depressed, missing the one they have spent a lifetime with.  Eventually, they would mate with another, possibly in the following season.

I heard a story about a hunter who shot a pair of geese one season.  Both birds fell from the air, one dead, the other still alive.  The injured goose crawled over to its mate, draped a wing over the corpse, and then also died.  Shocked, the hunter was stunned at what he just witnessed.  What he thought of as independent, unfeeling birds in fact were deeply caring and emotional creatures.  That was the last time he went hunting.  Never again would he break the bond of two creatures so deeply connected.

The birds recognize each other.  Some birds go their separate ways after breeding and rejoin their mates the following year.  Others stay together throughout the year.  Never apart.  That's what Canadian geese do.  They mourn if their partner dies.  They console their mate if they are hurting.  They defend each other.  And they mate only with each other.  For many, many years.

I don't know if these birds feel love, but I don't know what else to call it.  You can call them a bonded pair like there is no feelings there, but I think it is deeper than that.  It makes sense, after all, it is Valentine's Day.

Thanks for reading.     www.ericspix.com

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