Exposition: The geese around here (we have many because of a man-made corporate lake not far away) have been nesting for a while. We’re not supposed to go near them, as they will chase and bite if a human gets too close. It’s been raining most of the day, not too hard but the ground is still saturated.
So… this goose in the parking lot was just sitting on the wet concrete, in the middle of an intersection. I was outside for a smoke break. There was no nest or anything, it was just taking a break I guess. As I watched, it tucked its legs and head under its wing and went to sleep. On the cold, wet concrete. There were grass and mulch and trees nearby, not 15 feet away from it. I’ve never seen anything like it! Why would a goose sleep on cold, wet concrete? Not that the grass was any warmer, but I would think it would warm up faster under a goose body than pavement…
I did try to google this question but I couldn’t find anything relevant.
I don’t suppose geese are too worried about keeping their undersides dry, as they spend a fair amount of their time actually on water. It may be that, out of the different conditions available, the wet concrete ticked the greatest number of boxes, in terms of similarity to the kind of natural environment the goose would expect to sleep on - which could be perhaps a wet bank or reed marsh.
I think duck/goose/penguin feet don’t conduct heat very much, so it’s probably indifferent to whether it’s standing on a warm or cold surface while sleeping.
I was picturing a group of smokers finally, triumphantly, figuring out what that weird mark in the new sidewalk was. . .
My guess is that it’s liek the rocks on the edge of a lake. One or two geese are always sort of on “lookout” in a spot near where the others are concealed by the brush; usually this is on a large rock close by.
This theory breaks down right where the goose falls asleep.
I’m guessing Canada geese, right? Those guys hang out in Arctic lakes - what seems like chilly concrete to you seems like “normal” to them. As far as concrete being hard - geese come equipped with goose down, which, you might have heard, is soft and an excellent insulator. They go through life with a down mattress strapped to their bodies, so anywhere on earth is a comfy place for a nap!
During the winter Canada geese walk around all day on our frozen lake. Then at dusk they sit down and sleep on the ice out in the open. In the morning if they can find some liquid water they’ll paddle around & bathe themselves.
I (somewhat vaguely) recall reading that about bird feet, something about how the blood vessels are arranged in a fashion that makes them less prone to lose heat.
Our geese grab you with their bills and hold on, then twist their heads 90 degrees. I’ve gotten nasty bruises on my legs as a result. They also swing their wings at you; sort of like a punch.
I was attacked by a swan once. It hissed and struck as mean and fast as a cobra, slamming its beak into my legs and raising huge half-moon bruise welts. It was awful.
I was expecting a story of someone needing to chisel a goose free.