Just like men and women are addressed differently, birds often have sex-specific names such as hen and rooster.Are you familiar with the phrase ‘what’s good for the goose is good for the gander?’ This proverb literally means that if something is good for a male goose, it is equally good for the female goose, too.Also, it means that irrespective of sex, anything that is good or beneficial for one person should be equally good or beneficial for the other. In contrast, a female lion is called a lioness, while a male lion is often referred to as a lion. Also, a male human is called a man, whereas a female is a woman.Likewise, a gander refers to a male goose and a goose dame is a female goose. Also, a female and male bird is often referred to as a goose, while when in a pair or group, a male bird is distinguished by the term ‘gander’. Although the collective noun for a group of birds is a flock, a group of geese seen on the ground is known as a gaggle and a group of geese in flight is called a team, wedge, or a skein. A group of geese flying together through the air is called a plump. Although you might fail to differentiate geese on the basis of their sex, a goose can identify individuals from a flock of geese. Also, goslings, young geese, can also recognize and distinguish their siblings quite well.If you enjoy this article, why not also read about ladybug look alikea and lion claws here on Kidadl.What do goose and gander mean?A goose is among the 120 species of waterfowl belonging to the family of Anatidae. There are around 22 species of geese, including greylag goose, snow goose, black goose, Canada goose, Chinese goose, greyback goose, Roman goose, and saddleback goose.Geese are found around a large variety of aquatic habitats, including marshes, lakes, ponds, rivers, and reservoirs. Like humans, geese also have different sexes. While a male is a man, a female is called a woman. Likewise, a male bird is called a gander, whereas a female is called a goose.Goose is used for waterfowl birds, irrespective of sex. On the other hand, gander is used for a male bird that is often sighted in a pair or group.How do you differentiate a goose from a gander?A goose and gander have a similar appearance and same coloration, making it quite difficult to differentiate a goose from a gander. Thus, keen yet specific observation is the key to spotting differences and identifying their sex. Like in the case of humans, females and males have different reproductive systems, so the sex of the bird can be determined by genetic examination.While a gander has a penis-like structure, this is absent in a goose. Further differences in their reproductive systems can be examined internally, but the genetic examination of the bird is not always feasible as studying internal structure requires dissection, and dissection is only possible if the bird is dead. Also, a gander is often larger and taller than a goose. A gander is usually 3-5.90 in (8-15 cm) taller than a goose, but the difference in their measurements can be spotted, if and only if they are spotted in a flock.Yet another difference can be made based on their habits and behaviors. While a gander is more aggressive and dominating, it fights off its threats, whereas females tend to escape. If you spot the birds mating, the bird mounting the other one is speculated to be a male or the gander!What is the meaning of gander?‘Gander’ is a noun as well as a verb, the meaning of the term depends on the usage of the word in a sentence. Gander is usually the noun referring to the male goose bird, whereas it also means ’to look or glance at something’.Ganders are male birds. They are always the larger birds in the flock since males are quite larger and taller than females. They do not lay eggs, unlike females. They are also more vocal and have higher pitched voices than geese. Also, they are quite aggressive, dominating, and territorial.Is a gander male?Yes, while geese is the term used to refer to for both females and males, the gander refers to the male bird from the Anatidae group of waterfowl birds.While males are called men, women are usually called females. Likewise, in geese, females are called geese or dames, whereas males are referred to as ganders.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Gander goose: amaze-wing facts difference revealed! Then why not take a look at Ghost shrimp lifespan: fin-tastic freshwater fish facts revealed! or Gecko vs Lizard: reptile differences simplified for kids!
Just like men and women are addressed differently, birds often have sex-specific names such as hen and rooster.
