h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Canada Goose in Britain - A14540447
Author: Mazin' MadFiddler - Keeper of Ferrets and Muscalids. Assisting with the Autumn London Meet at A13222847. - U236774

This is the second entry in the series of non-native flora and fauna of Great Britain. Although there are other entries, I believe this is the first written from a British persepective.

Hello MMF, I've only started readibng it. A few things for you to s´tart with while I go on reading
Barnacla canadiense in Spanish
Kanadagås in Spanish - I guess you mean Swedish.
To be honest, I don't really need to know the names in nearly all European languages, the English name and the scientific Latin name should do.

This is the largest of the ‘Black’ Geese family, measuring 90 - 100 cm full length, with a wingspan of 160 -175 cm. Male and female are identical, although the male is larger and bulkier - identical in what, colour ? wingspan ?
And you'll have to change all your curly ‘ ’ into ' li,e this.

Doing some more reading now

I concur with Bel about listing the names - it seems a bit unnecessary when we're an English-speaking Guide.

It seems a bit odd to call this entry 'The Canada Goose in Britain' when much of the entry is dedicated to more general species information about Canada geese. I'd suggest either toning down the general information and broadening the British info, or changing the title and developing a wider scope - right now it seems to settle somewhat uneasily in between the two.

Nice entry,

Remove the first Header, and change all the Latin species names to italics (</I&gt

Something I don't like about the way it is written is all the short, disconnected paragraphs under the second Header. Is there a way you could put it together so that it flows better?

Also, I don't understand the Footnote with the link to your other bird Entry. It doesn't seem to have anything to with what the Entry is talking about in that sentence.

re: the footnote. It is because the entry is an ongoing group of non-native Flora and Fauna in the UK, but don't know how to link them. There will be at least 12 birds and the same with mammals, followed by invertebrates, fish, and finally the group I know least about, plants.

Also I don't seem to be able to change the Header. But I'll continue trying. Advice appreciated. the reason for the header is that there are at least three other entries on Canada Geese in the Guide at present...

It is written in the style of a Naturalist's field guide, which any Naturalist would recognise, but I am happy to change it to be in the style of a general entry.

I'll give it a rethink.

In the meantime, I'll put the other potential entries on hold until the two in the system become more polished and accepted.

Hi Neal.
Nice entry
Can i make a suggestion that you add a footnote to explain what 'down' is? Some people might not know that it's feathers.
Also, you say 'flocks' but don't mention 'gaggle'. Is'nt that the 'proper' term for a flock of geese?
What do the geese feed their chicks on?

Morning all
You'll have to remove your footnote ( about the parakeets)and rewrite the last sentence of that paragraph like:

Like the ring-necked Parakeet, it is a non-native bird. You don't link to the other entry, because links to unedited entries aren't allowed. In case this entry gets picked and the other entry has been picked by that time and is in the editing process, the sub-ed will add the link.

Native/non-native species and how conservationists deal with them is a fascinating subject and one we need to get to grips with. Writing a series about non-native species in the UK is a great idea. So much interesting stuff.

Like the population explosion caused by moving them to parks - I didn't know that. Or that these birds, way outside their normal range, still seem to have a call to migrate when it isn't needed for survival and must come from their ancestors. The BTO 'Time to Fly' book refers to them 'relearning' migratory tendencies but doesn't explain further.

I do think the entry needs to focus more on the story of the birds' arrival and settlement in the UK right from the start though, and rely on pointing to the existing Canada Geese entry for the field guide elements despite the different style of that other entry.

One of the great things about h2g2 is its internationalism. I love that we have an entry about this bird written from a non UK perspective that makes me see it outside its UK context. An awareness of a species' natural context is so valuable when trying to deal with problems caused when they're somewhere new. Perhaps, some of the extra field-guide type details in this entry could be woven into the bird's history in settling in the UK.

The link to the existing entry (A210646) on Canada Geese doesn't work, btw, because you've an extra 'A' in the address.


(Mazin' MadFiddler - if you've an ear for poetry as well as Fiddlin', you might one of this week's UnderGuide entries - on Greylags.)

Just erase Canada Goose from the top of Entry.

Thank you WB.

Done.

Ok, but could you add 'The Canada goose is a member...' to the first paragraph? What I meant was to take out the Header and just make 'Canada goose' the beginning of the sentence.

This entry has been temporarily removed from Peer Review, while I decide whether to create a University Guide entry on 'non-native birds in the UK', which appeals as I have over 12 birds which fit that category.

Please continue to provide input, as I further polish it, and learn more about GuideML.