Bird
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Lives in Mississippi all year and nests here. Found in all 82 counties, across 13 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 13

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 13
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Mississippi 13
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.
Open, wet, seepage-fed bogs of the Coastal Plain and Sandhills, often with pitcher plants.
Coastal tidal marshes (salinity not stated)
Tidal marshes of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where the source does not say whether the water is fresh, brackish or salt. A stated salinity files the marsh under freshwater tidal marshes or salt and brackish marshes instead.
Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.
Open, fire-kept longleaf pine stands over grasses and wildflowers on wet to moist sandy soil.
Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.
Coastal marshes flooded by salty or brackish tides.
Salt and brackish open water of sounds, bays and estuaries, with the mud and sand flats and seagrass beds that tides cover and uncover; the vegetated marsh is salt and brackish marshes.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Other habitats in its models (92)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Mississippi. Those recorded in Mississippi first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (45)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural Lakeshore Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Sea Island Beach Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Beach Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Summer and winter.
- Central and Upper Texas Coast Dune and Coastal Grassland Summer and winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Pondshore Summer and winter.
- Central Florida Herbaceous Seep Summer and winter.
- Cumberland Riverscour Summer and winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
- Florida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh Summer and winter.
- Louisiana Beach Winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Summer and winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Summer and winter.
- Red River Large Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- South Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh Summer and winter.
- South Florida Freshwater Slough and Gator Hole Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Summer and winter.
- Southeast Florida Beach Winter.
- Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Texas Coastal Bend Beach Winter.
- Texas Saline Coastal Prairie Summer and winter.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Upper Texas Coast Beach Winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Calcareous Prairie Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
Northeast (5)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Sandy Beach Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Salt Marsh Summer and winter.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Sandy Beach Winter.
Midwest (5)
- Central Mixedgrass Prairie Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Central Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Great Lakes Dune Summer.
- North-Central Interior Sand and Gravel Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
Land cover and other classes (37)
- Arkansas Valley Prairie and Woodland Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Herbaceous Wetland Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Summer and winter.
- Barren Land Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Summer and winter.
- Developed, Low Intensity Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Developed, Medium Intensity Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Summer and winter.
- Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Open Water (Aquaculture) Summer and winter.
- Recently Burned Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Recently Burned Forest Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Recently Burned Grassland Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- Recently Logged Areas Summer and winter, only within 500 m of water.
- South Texas Dune and Coastal Grassland Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Summer and winter.
- Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Summer and winter.
- Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Summer and winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore Summer and winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Depressional Wetland Systems Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
Seasons in Mississippi
- Year-round: nests here, in 15 of 82 counties.
- Winter: does not nest here, in all 82 counties.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
Native plants in these genera 209
- Buffalo CloverTrifolium reflexum
- Carolina CloverTrifolium carolinianum
- Helianthus radulaHelianthus radula
- Rosinweed SunflowerHelianthus silphioides
- Whorled SunflowerHelianthus verticillatus
- Woodland SunflowerHelianthus divaricatus
- Paleleaf SunflowerHelianthus strumosus
- Ashy SunflowerHelianthus mollis
- Beach SunflowerHelianthus debilis
- Giant SunflowerHelianthus giganteus
- Hairy SunflowerHelianthus hirsutus
- Helianthus floridanusHelianthus floridanus
- Muck SunflowerHelianthus simulans
- Narrowleaf SunflowerHelianthus angustifolius
- Purpledisk SunflowerHelianthus atrorubens
- Resindot SunflowerHelianthus resinosus
- Small Wood SunflowerHelianthus microcephalus
- Thinleaf SunflowerHelianthus decapetalus
- Variableleaf SunflowerHelianthus heterophyllus
- Western SunflowerHelianthus occidentalis
- Carex atlantica subsp. atlanticaCarex atlantica subsp. atlantica
- Carex atlantica subsp. capillaceaCarex atlantica subsp. capillacea
- Carex baltzelliiCarex baltzellii
- Carex bromoides subsp. bromoidesCarex bromoides subsp. bromoides
Plant genera in its diet records (17)
- Trifolium Leaves. 9 diet records. 2 native plants in Mississippi
- Zea Seeds. 6 diet records. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Triticum Leaves and seeds. 5 diet records. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Medicago 4 diet records. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Glycine Seeds. 3 diet records. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Helianthus Seeds. 2 diet records. 18 native plants in Mississippi
- Sorghum Seeds. 2 diet records. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Carex Leaves. 1 diet record. 131 native plants in Mississippi
- Eleocharis Leaves. 1 diet record. 42 native plants in Mississippi
- Equisetum Leaves. 1 diet record. 2 native plants in Mississippi
- Phleum Leaves. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Plantago Roots. 1 diet record. 6 native plants in Mississippi
- Poa Leaves. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Mississippi
- Setaria Seeds. 1 diet record. 3 native plants in Mississippi
- Sparganium Leaves. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Mississippi
- Taraxacum Leaves. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Triglochin Roots. 1 diet record. 1 native plant in Mississippi
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Mississippi, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Birds 129
- Cape May WarblerDendroica tigrina
- Grasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarum
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus
- Smith's LongspurCalcarius pictus
- Upland SandpiperBartramia longicauda
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- Bronzed CowbirdMolothrus aeneus
- DickcisselSpiza americana
- Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Bell's VireoVireo bellii
Plants 1094
- Muck SunflowerHelianthus simulans
- Annual FleabaneErigeron annuus
- Canada LettuceLactuca canadensis
- Common Evening-primroseOenothera biennis
- Cutleaf Evening-primroseOenothera laciniata
- Dog-fennelEupatorium capillifolium
- Threadleaf SundropsOenothera linifolia
- Carolina Crane's-billGeranium carolinianum
- Carolina HorsenettleSolanum carolinense var. carolinense
- Blackeyed SusanRudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima
- Downy Ground-cherryPhysalis pubescens
- Gray Ground-cherryPhysalis grisea
All of roadsides, fields and disturbed ground in Mississippi
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 98
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 346
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- White Panicled Aster; Eastern Lined AsterSymphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Appalachian Orange ConeflowerRudbeckia fulgida var. umbrosa
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Southern Shagbark HickoryCarya carolinae-septentrionalis
- Spruce Pine; Walters Pine; Cedar PinePinus glabra
- Blunt Broom SedgeCarex tribuloides
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
- Common Cup-plantSilphium perfoliatum
Swamps
Birds 109
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
- Seaside SparrowAmmodramus maritimus
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Eurasian WigeonAnas penelope
- Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plants 291
- Black Highbush BlueberryVaccinium fuscatum
- Dahoon HollyIlex cassine
- Carolina AshFraxinus caroliniana
- Dense-flower SmartweedPersicaria densiflora
- Water HickoryCarya aquatica
- Swamp TupeloNyssa biflora
- Bent SedgeCarex styloflexa
- Cypress-swamp SedgeCarex joorii
- Dark-green SedgeCarex venusta
- Fringed SedgeCarex crinita
- Ravenfoot SedgeCarex crus-corvi
- Southern Long SedgeCarex lonchocarpa
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Canada Goose
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus








































































