Unless a person is experienced with birds and animals, it gets tough to tell the difference between species which seem similar and have very few differences between them. Therefore the term Goose and Gander creates confusion. In simple words, the main difference between them is that Goose is a term that is used more broadly for the type of birds that fall in the category irrespective of their gender while Gander is a term that is utilized for the male species which do not lay eggs.
Comparison Chart
| Basis of Distinction | Goose | Gander |
| Definition | A term which is used more broadly for the type of birds which fall in the category irrespective of their gender. | A term which is used more specifically for the male gender of these birds. |
| Usage | For meat and eggs (Geese) | For meat only. |
| Distinction | has an internal opening on the lower body. (Geese) | Have a small pointy structure on the lower body. |
| Body Structure | In a female, the internal ovaries are combined together and are placed in the lower body. | The internal organs for a gander will be in their abdomen. |
| Shape | Round and small. | Tall and pointy. |
What is Goose?
These are species that are found most commonly near lakes or where there is water and are known as a verity of tribes such as Anser, which is the gray goose, the Branta, which is the black geese and the Chen which are the white geese. There are some other types of species which are added in this class, but one can easily tell the difference. The domestic geese are most commonly utilized for meat and eggs and therefore are one of the primary sources of food for humans.
They are most common in European countries but do migrate to warmer areas in Asia during the winter season. The word Goose has been originated from the Hindi and Urdu origin which is Ghans, it is also the same in the German language where the word Ges might have turned into Goose over the years. They have originated from Europe but are also found in North Africa and Western Asia. As stated earlier they are one of the primary sources of food production since the female can lay as much as 50 eggs in one year and compare to the wild goose which lays just 10-12 eggs in 12 months.
Their eggs are larger in size, and when cooked they look just like the chicken eggs though the taste is different and have more yolk within them. They are also used as pet birds and are really sensitive to the environment and therefore can help in protecting the property since their voice is loud and one can easily hear them and tell if they are sensing danger or just acting normal.
What is Gander?
These are usually confused with the term Goose, and that is because they actually are Goose in the first place, the only difference between the terms Gander and Goose is that Gander is the male Goose while the latter term is used in a broader way.
They have a significant presence in folk tales and fables. Another way they can be differentiated is that this is a term that is used for the geese which live in the wild. They are stronger than the regular ones and have the ability to sustain different atmospheres. Unlike the other ones they do not have to migrate to other places in various seasons and are able to withstand the weather changes around them. It is not that easy to tell if you see a Gander or Geese because they both look similar and have the body which is the same. Only with careful analysis and some factors involved, one is able to tell the difference.
They do not lay eggs since they are males and have genitals which are different from female ones and that is the biggest difference which can help anyone in finding out what they are looking at. The other difference between them can only be seen when they are dissected. In a female, the internal ovaries are combined together and are placed in the lower body while the internal organs for a gander will be in their abdomen. There is a slight difference in size, not much and this is that the gander is bigger in size as compared to geese but only just.
Key Differences between Goose and Gander
- Goose are the species that belong to the family of such birds irrespective of where they live and how they look while Gander is the world used for male Goose.
- The first way according to which both can be differentiated is their sexual organs, geese will have an internal opening on the lower body while Gander will have a small pointy structure on the lower body.
- The other way they can be differentiated is the dissection. In a female, the internal ovaries are combined together and are placed in the lower body while the internal organs for a gander will be in their abdomen.
- The size of geese is smaller, and they have round-shaped bodies while a gander is around 5-15 cm bigger than geese and has pointed bodies.
- The species living in the wild are sometimes referred as gander while the species that are living in the domestic areas are sometimes known as a goose.
- Gander can be seen fighting among each other and tend to be more aggressive while geese are considered peaceful which only show reaction during mating season.