Canada Goose eating ice

[Don Komarechka]

I was sitting by the lake shore taking some photos today, and noticed something a little strange. This Canada Goose swam up to the edge of where the ice was still solid on the water, and started nibbling on the edge. The goose did this for maybe a minute or two before it swam off to join the other geese.

Photo was taken in Barrie, Ontario today (March 12, 2009) in the afternoon.

http://electricpickleonline.com/images/potn/_MG_2257.jpg

Here's a close-up of the feast:
http://electricpickleonline.com/images/potn/_MG_2257-close.jpg

Technical info: Canon 5D mark II, EF 100-400L lens @ 400mm, F/8, 1/1600 sec, ISO 500


I thought this behaviour was a little unusual. Do birds usually eat ice like this?

[John Chardine]

Don- I have seen birds eat snow during the winter, presumably for a supply of water when it's all in a frozen state. In this case it's hardly as if the goose does not have a supply of liquid water to drink, so it's a bit of a puzzle. Although pond ice can contain algae I really can't see that being enough to warrant eating it.

Anybody else seen this? Any ideas?