Goose

Geese are large, web-footed birds of the family Anatidae, including the genera Anser and Branta. Geese have heavier bodies and longer necks than ducks but are smaller than swans. There are two dozen species worldwide, but the domesticated gray goose (Anser domesticus) derives from only two species, the wild gray goose and the greylag goose (Anser ferus and Anser anser). By 3000 BCE geese were common in China and the Middle East. They were raised in ancient Egypt and have been part of everyday life in western Europe since prehistoric times. Geese are easily raised, and they consume foods, including many weeds, not eaten by other animals. In Europe geese were highly valued for their eggs, meat, grease, and feathers. In England geese were usually eaten on special occasions, such as Michaelmas and Christmas.