If you’ve ever watched a flock of geese migrating you’ve probably noticed how noisy they are. The collective honks of geese will often draw us to look up at those iconic V shapes in the sky. But why do geese honk when they fly?
Geese honk when they fly to communicate as a team. The honks are known as flight calls. These vocalizations are essential for coordination as the geese migrate together. The honking enables geese to get feedback on their flight form and save vital energy for the flock.
If you want to know more about the flight call of geese, keep reading. This guide will discuss why they are so important for the flock.
Let’s get started
9 Reasons why Geese Honk when they fly
Geese honk to communicate to the team. In fact, geese honk more when they are flying than when they are on land.
But what is it they are trying to communicate and how does this affect their survival?
1. Keep Focus
When geese fly they take on the flying V shape. This is essential for the flock to save energy as they fly.
Each goose flies slightly higher than the one behind them. This allows the flock to fly much easier against wind resistance.
If a goose isn’t keeping to this formation it will receive feedback from the other geese to remind them to get back into position. This constant feedback helps the geese to stay focused on long flights. Geese can cover up to 40-70 miles an hour, which means they need a lot of focus to stay on course during a long migration.
2. Encouragement
Geese are amazing at encouraging one another to keep going. Not only do the honks give geese feedback about their formation but they also act as motivation. The geese that fly behind the others are like little cheerleaders. They actively encourage the geese in front to keep up their speed.
This prevents the goose in front from falling behind, which ultimately causes problems for the goose behind them.
The more motivation the geese upfront get, the better the whole flock will be at a successful migration.
3. Flock Coordination
Working in such a large team requires a lot of coordination to be successful. The take-off and landing of the flock of geese can be a hectic time. So many geese on the ground need to get into the right position at the right time to make it work for everyone.
Geese initiate flight by head tossing and low grunts. As soon as the leader takes flight the rest of the flock immediately follow behind and begin honking in unison. This honk helps the flock to coordinate their positions and assume the flying V.
When the geese land they need to coordinate the landing from the front through to the back of the formation. The geese will use honks to communicate the changes in positions and speed to aid a smooth landing for all.
4. Sense of community
Honking amongst the geese during flights provides them with a sense of community. This communication allows them to realize that they are all working towards a common goal.
When geese fly together they save much more energy than they would by flying alone. In fact, geese can fly around 70% further as a flock rather than they would be able to on their own.
The honks of communication help geese to work together with a shared vision. They know they are all working to get to the same place and share the knowledge of how to do that.
5. Teaching
Flocks are made up of geese of all ages. That means there are young immature geese who are making their first migration.
The young geese often need to be coached through their first flights with the flock. This means the honking keeps them right. They will quickly learn from their mistakes with the feedback given from the other geese, who are teaching them how to fly as part of the team.
6. Navigation
Following a migration route can be hard work for geese. They need to contend with different challenges that Mother Nature throws their way.
Wind resistance is one of the greatest challenges the geese face, often things like headwinds or crosswinds. The geese at the front of the formation help to communicate these challenges to the rest of the flock to help keep them on track. The geese then adjust their flight to navigate through without using up a lot of vital energy.
7. Safety
Environmental dangers are another challenge for geese to navigate during a flight. Geese will come across a lot of man-made changes that may not have been there on previous journeys.
Geese can encounter new structures such as high-rise buildings and wind turbines.
The geese leading up the flock can communicate these small changes in routes to keep the flock safe.
8. Protection
Geese can have varying states of health when they are flying in a flock. If a goose is ill, tired, or malnourished it may not be able to keep up with the flock.
To help keep the goose protected a small flock will often break off from the main flock. Their purpose is to stay with the affected goose until they are able to catch up with the main flock. If the goose is too unwell they will stay with the affected goose until they die.
The smaller flock continues to communicate with each other the same as the larger flocks would.
Honking also helps the geese to relocate the main flock if they become separated. This can be the break-off flock or a straggler who has lost their way during flight.
9. Changing roles
There is never one leader of a flock of geese. Over time the geese will change roles to share the responsibility of leadership. The leading goose often tires quickly. This happens use up the most energy as they have no protection against wind resistance.
As the leader falls behind another goose will take on the lead position. This means that all the geese in the flock get to communicate as the leader and as supporters.
Do all geese honk when they fly?
All geese will think when flying together as a flock. Both the males and females will honk. This is unlike some other migrating birds where only the males will honk.
Geese need to be able to work together as a team to maintain the safety and efficiency of the flock to reach their destination.
Final thoughts
Geese are amazing to watch in flight and can teach us a lot about teamwork. The reason they can make migration look so effortless is that they put a lot of effort into ensuring they communicate as best as they can. The honks are different methods of communication. They ensure the rest of the flock remain focused, safe and help the other geese achieve more than they would alone.
This sense of community and teamwork is vital for the survival of the geese. It keeps them motivated and conserves as much energy as possible for the long and challenging journey ahead.