Goslings' 25-Foot Leap Captured by Photographer Jake Bonello

Photographer and refuge manager Jake Bonello captured a series of remarkable photographs showing six Canada goose goslings making a 25-foot leap from their elevated nest to the water below. The images were taken on April 24, 2025, at the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-Tailed Deer in southwest Washington, as the young birds followed their parent toward the lower Columbia River. The dramatic descent is a normal part of the goslings' development, as Canada goose young are precocial and ready to move within a day of hatching. The U.S. Department of the Interior has reassured viewers that the jump is perfectly normal. The goslings' small size and soft down cushion the impact, and they can flap their developing wings during the fall. After reaching the water, they will remain close to their parents, feeding and developing the strength needed for flight. The photographs have been widely shared, with sources including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and PetaPixel.