Hammer-Headed Goose

A hammer-headed goose (Megacephobranta deinorhynchoides) is a species of large native North American goose found naturally throughout the lakes and riverbanks, although they also live in man-made waterways such as pools and artificial lakes/rivers. The hammer-headed goose is named for its large bulky beak, which it uses to efficiently feed on some large grasses and flowers than smaller-beaked geese such as the Canada goose (Branta canadensis), and the hammer-headed geese can also use their large beaks for protection against predators, hitting their predators in a manner similar to a hammer, breaking the predators' bones and, sometimes, killing them. The hammer-headed geese are herbivores and they also are social waterfowls, living in groups up to about 85 at a time. The conservation status of the hammer-headed goose is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the geese' tolerance to human activities, and their resistance to otherwise deadly diseases and viruses, including West Nile viruses.