Barret Miller with FortWhyte Alive says that geese travel south every year, in search of a warmer place for the winter. With Winnipeg in the middle of the journey down south, residents can see flocks of the birds as they embark on their journey.“This time of year is when the goose numbers start to build again. It’s not unusual,” said Miller, manager of group services with the park. “It’s actually kind of reassuring that it does happen.
According to Miller, the birds fly across a migratory corridor which is described as a highway in the sky that gets them easily from point A to point B. Winnipeg, he said, is a city that is part of the Central North American Flyway. He further described it as a pathway that geese are able to keep a mental map of amid their journey. The end destination is by the Gulf of Mexico.
Miller said that the birds are able to pick up on cues that help them know when to begin their journeys, kicking off by the Red River. “They’ll notice the daylight is changing, they’ll notice their little ones are growing up… their body is just getting ready to migrate on their seasonal cycle,” said Miller. “ wake up one morning way up north and pond is iced over. It’s time to go.”