Do geese have choke-resistant trachea? (1 Viewer)

[hecko]

Hello Birders, today I was out on a walk with a friend, looking at the geese. This walk resulted in a discussion over the strength of geese and how badly they'd beat us in a fight, and I recalled reading about the structural integrity of their throats, making them near impossible to strangle. I go to fact check my memory, but my searching yielded no answer, leading me to BirdForum. Is it true that geese cannot be asphyxiated effectively with a sturdy grasp of the jugular?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Hello Birders, today I was out on a walk with a friend, looking at the geese. This walk resulted in a discussion over the strength of geese and how badly they'd beat us in a fight, and I recalled reading about the structural integrity of their throats, making them near impossible to strangle. I go to fact check my memory, but my searching yielded no answer, leading me to BirdForum. Is it true that geese cannot be asphyxiated effectively with a sturdy grasp of the jugular?

What a question!

As strangulation results in asphyxia, I don't see how they'd be 'unstranglable' unless they can breath from somewhere else?

 

[hecko]

I worded that last part really poorly, completely misrepresenting my point. What I had attempted to say was that it was difficult to crush their throats rather suffocate them. I apologize for sacrificing clarity in the name of linguistic flavor. I believe that it was something to do with their neck vertebrae that mitigates their obvious vulnerability.

 

[nartreb]

There may be a grain of truth somewhere. Long-necked birds need to keep their airway (and blood vessels) open even when their necks are folded, as well as during the time it may take to swallow difficult prey. It wouldn't surprise me at all if a goose's trachea had a lot of reinforcement compared to a human's. Other members here can probably answer that one definitely.
What would surprise me is if a goose's neck were strong enough to withstand deliberate strangulation by human hands.
In humans, blocking the windpipe is not as easy as you think (and not taught much any more, as it's easily fatal- releasing the pressure may not be enough to reopen the airway). Most choke holds work by restricting blood flow. They require only a child's strength, and they work much faster than cutting off someone's air.
I don't know the proper technique for choking a goose (on the farm, a cleaver was used instead) but I bet I there is one.
I'm guessing you've never been in a real fight. You outweigh a goose by a factor of ten or so. If you were willing to be aggressive and accept some minor scratches, you wouldn't be wondering how badly a goose could beat you, you'd be arguing about whether the goose would survive for one second or two.

 

[dantheman]

I'm guessing you've never been in a real fight. You outweigh a goose by a factor of ten or so. If you were willing to be aggressive and accept some minor scratches, you wouldn't be wondering how badly a goose could beat you, you'd be arguing about whether the goose would survive for one second or two.

Obviously, and in the spirit of the question (?) it wouldn't be a one on one ... they come in flocks.

;-)

 

[nartreb]

Yeah, but geese are typical bullies. They make a lot of noise but they'll let another goose take the risk. I've seen some opportunistic snapping at the tail of a preoccupied cat, for example, but never a coordinated assault.