This alerts not only his mate but others nesting nearby. Females lower their bodies onto the nest and stretches out their necks to camouflage the nest. These birds love to swim and bathe in the water, especially on warm days. The Geese swim and flap around and sometimes completely submerge themselves. Some subspecies have a yearly molt of flight feathers in the summer and become flightless during this time.
Migrations begin in the fall.
Large winter aggregations form while on lakes, coastal waters, and mudflats. When females pick a nesting site, they look for a place that has good visibility but is still isolated so they have a warning of danger and protection if danger approaches. The area also must have open water with low banks so they can have access to aquatic plants. Places such as swamps marshes, meadows, lakes, and other such places are among some of the favorite nesting areas. Canadian and Alaskan shorelines have tundra that provides an adequate nesting site.