Arnold and Amelia lived near the Birdsey Cape Wildlife Center in Barnstable, Massachusetts. The employees at the center often noticed them walking together near a pond, though they kept their distance and rarely interacted with others. It’s the typical picture of a young couple in love, right? Except in this case, Arnold and Amelia are wild Canada geese — not twenty-something humans.
It’s not uncommon. An estimated 90 percent of all bird species form pair bonds, often leading to the co-parenting of offspring and sometimes lifelong partnerships. On top of this, geese are social animals that travel together and even enjoy higher social rankings than their fellows after finding “the one.”