There is one unique ability limited to birds alone that makes geese, the first, and ducks, the second, most natural animal companions to humans. That ability, which is one of the strongest forces in nature, is the imprint. No one understands exactly what happens inside a bird’s brain when imprinting occurs, but the results are unmistakable. The imprint is strongest in geese and almost as strong in ducks. Basically, a duckling or gosling knows that it is the same species as whatever living creature larger than itself it sees upon hatching or shortly thereafter. I said, KNOWS . It doesn’t think it is, it doesn’t use the creature for a replacement until it finds its own species, it doesn’t pretend to be that species; it is that species in its mind. The imprint is so strong in birds that when one is raising a wild baby bird to be returned to wild, it must be fed with hand puppets of its own species in order to prevent it from imprinting on a human instead. So, if you want a bird to live with its own species, you avoid having it imprint on a human, but if you want a bird to live with humans, you make sure it does imprint on a HUMAN . It imprints on the species right away, but doesn’t recognize an individual face for about a week even though it may recognize a voice. I’m sure a lot of you hollered when you read that geese and ducks are the most natural companions of man. What about dogs and cats????? No matter whether you raise a dog or cat from the instant it is born, it will always know it is a dog or a cat. We have to train, control and confine them to keep them from going off with their own or following their natural instincts to roam and hunt. They definitely form bonds with us, but they have strong ties to their own species. An imprinted duck or goose doesn’t. UNLESS it is raised with other ducklings and goslings, because not only do ducks and geese imprint on a parent(s), they imprint on SIBLINGS ! This is where imprinting becomes complicated and differences between ducks and geese become apparent. I’ll try to simplify it. I. 2. DUCKLING sees DUCK. DUCKLING sees HUMAN DUCKLING is a DUCK . DUCKLING is a HUMAN MOM is a DUCK . MOM is a HUMAN DUCKLING sees DUCKLINGS . DUCKLING sees DUCKLINGS DUCKLING is also a DUCKLING SIBLING DUCK LING is also a DUCKLING SIBLING All DUCKLINGS love MOM . All DUCK LINGS love MOM DUCKLINGS grows to be DUCKS . DUCK LINGS grow to be DU CKS DUCKS don’t need MOM . DU CKS don't need MOM DUCKS like other DUCKS. DU CKS like other DUCKS DUCKS mate with DUCKS . DU CKS mates with DUCKS MOM is now just another DUCK . DU CK may love MOM , may NOT 3. DUCKLING sees HUMAN . DUCKLING is HUMAN . MOM is HUMAN . DUCKLING doesn’t see other DUCKLINGS . DUCKLING is only HUMAN . DUCKLING loves and needs MOM . DUCKLING grows to be DUCK DUCK likes HUMANS . DUCK doesn’t mate with DUCKS . DUCK loves MOM BEST . 1. 2. GOSLING sees GOOSE GOSLING sees a HUMAN GOSLING sees GANDER GOSLING sees another HUMAN GOSLING is a GOOSE GOSLING is a HUMAN MOM & DAD are GEESE MOM & DAD are HUMAN GOSLING sees GOSLINGS GOSLING sees GOSLINGS GOSLING is also a GOSLING SIBLING. GOS LING is a GOS LING SIBLING All GOSLINGS love MOM & DAD All GOS LINGS love MOM & DAD GOSLINGS grow to be GEESE GOS LINGS grow to be GE ESE GEESE still love MOM & DAD GE ESE still love MOM & DAD GEESE don’t mate with MOM & DAD GE ESE don’t mate with MOM & DAD GEESE don’t mate with SIBLINGS.* GE ESE don’t mate with SIBLINGS GEESE love SIBLINGS GE ESE love SIBLINGS BEST GEESE mate with other GEESE GE ESE mate with other GEESE GEESE love MOM & DAD GE ESE love MOM & DAD, TOO 3. GOSLING sees a HUMAN. GOSLING is a HUMAN. GOSLING sees another HUMAN. MOM & DAD are HUMAN. GOSLING sees HUMAN CHILDREN GOSLING is a HUMAN SIBLING. GOSLING loves and needs MOM & DAD GOSLING grows to be GOOSE GOOSE still loves MOM & DAD GOOSE doesn’t mate with MOM & DAD* GOOSE doesn’t mate with SIBLINGS.* GOOSE loves SIBLING GOOSE can fall in love with a HUMAN GOOSE loves MOM & DAD BEST Personalities, circumstances, raising, etc. can, of course, have an effect on the above outcomes, but generally speaking that's how it works. An injured bird that is rescued, for instance, may be imprinted on its own species, but may bond very closely with its rescuer. A gosling that has been raised in the house and is firmly imprinted on its human Mom & Dad, may become reserved or even hostile if it is expected to live outside on its own or with other geese after it is physically grown. Geese don't mature until they are 3 - 4 years old, so they expect to stay with their parents for at least a year or two and have them close by after that. You'll find a great deal more on this subject in my book.