Photography courtesy of Lowell Washburn, all rights reserved.
For Iowa’s resident flock of giant Canada geese, the 2026 spring nesting season is nearly complete. Although a few late nests are still going, most goslings were out of the egg by May 10. Although this year’s nesting season presented a wildly fluctuating ride of extreme high and low temperatures – especially in Iowa’s northern counties — overall nest success appears to be excellent across the state with most broods containing five to seven goslings. Spring goose production was further bolstered by the lack of heavy spring rainfall, preventing egg and gosling losses due to flooding: this was especially important for pairs nesting in the state’s river floodplains.
Despite the lack of rainfall, most ponds and marshes have ample water levels. Across northern Iowa’s 35-county prairie pothole region, aquatic vegetation is rapidly emerging and brood habitat [for geese] is excellent on most wetlands. Recreationally and economically important, the giant Canada goose is one of Iowa’s most popular gamebirds. This year’s excellent hatch coupled with abundant supplies of food and water are positive first steps toward this year’s fall hunting seasons.
Ann Wolf
Thomas Rinehart
Susan Judkins Josten
Rudi Roeslein
Elyssa McFarland
Mark Langgin
Adam Janke
Joe Henry
Sue Wilkinson
Tom Cope
Kristin Ashenbrenner
Joe Wilkinson
Dr. Tammy Mildenstein
Sean McMahon