Geese are the grazers of the waterfowl group. They feed primarily on green vegetation on land and in shallow water. They typically have longer necks than ducks and strong bills designed for cutting plants. Unlike the ducks, there is very little variation in body and bill structure among the geese. Because much of their food is found on land, geese are capable walkers and can be found far from water. In most species, the male and female look alike. The female goose incubates the eggs while the male stands guard close by, and both sexes share in the rearing of the young. Geese can be divided into two groups, the northern geese and the southern geese.

The northern goose group contains most of the goose species, including all the species seen in North America. Most of these geese are migratory and have distinct breeding and wintering areas, often with great distances in between. In all of the northern geese, males and females have similar plumages and are nearly equal in size. The LRWC maintains the following northern geese:

The southern goose group is made up of an array of goose-like birds from the southern hemisphere. While structurally many of the species in the group resemble the northern geese, there are major differences. Males and females of some species have different plumages, and males can be quite a bit larger than their mates. Many of the southern geese are non-migratory. The LRWC keeps the following southern geese: