WhenToBird

Canada Goose · Branta canadensis

When Do Geese Arrive in Florida?

Adult Canada Goose
Photo: Tser, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

The Canada Goose is in Florida all year. It turns up on about 2.8% of checklists at its peak (late February) and on 1.4% in its quietest week (late June). They are the only regular gooses in Florida.

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekFeb 22-28late February
Quietest weekJun 22-30late June

Best: late February. Here all year. Peak: on about 2.8% of Florida checklists.

  1. Janpeak season
  2. Febpeak season
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Juncommon
  7. Julcommon
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octcommon
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Geese in Florida, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Canada Gooseall year–Feb 22-28–2.8%
0%1%2%3%Canada GooseJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Canada Goose
Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Florida that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Florida

Best counties for Canada Goose

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Duval CountyBest late March · 2363 checklists that week, 76,684 in all26%
  2. Leon CountyBest early February · 1632 checklists that week, 68,576 in all25%
  3. Clay CountyBest early April · 520 checklists that week, 23,909 in all25%
  4. Jefferson CountyBest early December · 116 checklists that week, 4,323 in all21%
  5. Okaloosa CountyBest the second week of September · 306 checklists that week, 16,003 in all19%
  6. Sumter CountyBest early April · 354 checklists that week, 18,218 in all18%

Common questions

When do geese arrive in Florida?
The Canada Goose is in Florida all year. It turns up on about 2.8% of checklists at its peak (late February) and on 1.4% in its quietest week (late June). They are the only regular gooses in Florida.
When do geese leave Florida?
The Canada Goose does not leave Florida: it is reported all year, from 1.4% of checklists in late June to 2.8% in late February.
When is the best time to see geese in Florida?
The Canada Goose is reported most often in late February, on about 2.8% of Florida checklists.