What instincts help goose survive winter?

Canadas that do decided to stay a winter in a cold climate do it out of sheer will power. Usually those that do not migrate have a family member that is injured or too old to take the flight. In that case, the entire family stays behind with him/her.

High fat content to their bodies, additional down grown for the winter and redundant circulation in their feet help them biologically make it through the cold, but otherwise, from my observation, it is the will of the bird to make it through.