# How Fast Is A Canada Goose?

> Canada Goose top speed is up to about 90 km/h (56 mph) in flight. Sprint vs endurance and what limits pace.

- **Species:** Canada Goose (*Branta canadensis*)
- **Conservation status:** Least Concern
- **Diet:** Herbivore — grasses, sedges, grain, and aquatic plants
- **Habitat:** Lakes, fields, and parks across North America
- **Lifespan:** 10–24 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 90 km/h (56 mph) in flight
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/goose/how-fast-is-a-goose/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/goose/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The Canada goose is a large, adaptable waterbird native to North America, easily recognised by its black head and neck, white chinstrap, and loud honking call. It grazes on grasses and grain around lakes, fields, and parks, weighs 3 to 6 kg, and famously flies in V-formation, reaching up to 90 km/h (56 mph). Canada geese live up to 24 years and are listed as Least Concern.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need the full biology — use the [Canada Goose profile](https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/goose/) instead.

## The V-formation and migration

Canada geese are celebrated for flying in a distinctive V-formation during their long seasonal migrations. Each bird flies slightly above the one in front, catching the uplift from its wingtips so the whole flock saves energy, and the lead position is rotated as birds tire. Migrating flocks can travel hundreds of kilometres in a day and reach speeds of up to 90 km/h with a following wind. Their honking calls help the flock stay together across great distances and in poor visibility.

## Help protect the Canada Goose

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/goose/how-fast-is-a-goose/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.