In a small pond in Madison, Wisconsin, a pair of Canadian cranes (Antigone canadensis) is raising not only their own chick but also a gosling from a Canadian goose (Branta canadensis). It’s a charming sight: the crane couple strides purposefully through the marsh, followed by their russet offspring and a plump, yellow-feathered gosling. Ornithologists have reported that this is only the third confirmed case of such interspecies adoption. In 2011, a Canadian goose lived near a crane and behaved like one. In 2019, interspecies adoption was documented in Michigan, and just recently, in 2024, it happened in Madison.
These occurrences are not coincidental, according to Ann Lacy, an expert from the International Crane Foundation. Populations of Canadian cranes and Canadian geese have rebounded in recent decades. These birds, much like foxes and coyotes, are increasingly encroaching on urban landscapes. This migration has led to closer interactions between species, as noted by Smithsonian Magazine. How the gosling ended up in the crane family remains a topic of debate. Some experts and photographers believe that the Canadian goose may have laid an egg in the crane’s nest. Others suggest that the cranes might have taken over a goose nest containing an egg after spring floods washed away their own home. But one thing is certain: when the gosling hatched, it recognized the cranes as its family and now walks alongside them as if they were its true parents.
Local photographer Marjorie Ryan was among the first to spot this unusual family. What struck her most was the affectionate behavior of the crane father towards the adopted gosling: “He seemed very loving.” It was a touching scene: the crane with its sleek legs gently tended to the fluffy yellow ball lying beside it.
Numerous observers have seen geese approaching the crane family repeatedly. They would circle above the nest, honking loudly and even swooping down at the pair. However, when they got too close, “Dad would chase them away with his powerful wings,” recounts photographer Alan Ginsberg, who witnessed several of these confrontations. Ornithologists are concerned that the future of the gosling could be quite dramatic. Geese and cranes differ significantly in diet, behavior, and migration strategies. Cranes are omnivorous, while geese are herbivorous. “When I first heard about this last year, I had real concerns about the gosling. These birds have completely different diets,” says Lacy.
As the gosling grows, another challenge it may face is migration, according to Michael Ward, an ornithologist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Cranes often fly at altitudes of about 1.5 kilometers—so high that they are barely visible—while geese typically migrate at altitudes between 300 and 900 meters or lower. Moreover, they leave Wisconsin in September, while cranes usually begin their migration in October or November, after the first cold snap. “It’s possible that the adopted gosling could migrate with the cranes. However, it’s likely to face physiological challenges,” notes Ward. Whether the gosling will survive to adulthood and attempt to migrate remains uncertain. Although the crane parents are vigilant over their young, the chicks are constantly at risk. The greatest threat to them comes from ground predators like raccoons, foxes, and coyotes, especially early in the morning or in the evening when the parents go out foraging, explains Lacy. Yet, while the gosling raised by cranes may have lower survival odds, there is still hope, adds Ward. He believes that this chick is not necessarily doomed to an early death: it may eventually reunite with its own kind. Lacy shares this sentiment: “The bird could join a flock of geese.”