A gooseneck is a popular term for a river bend – a meander – that nearly doubles back on itself.

When rivers wind about, or meander, they tend to make their loops bigger and bigger until two parts of the loop nearly meet. That shape is called an oxbow (or gooseneck). Finally the land between the loops (called the neck) is cut through. That cuts the loop right off and makes an oxbow lake.

In this way oxbows grow, get cut off and new ones grow elsewhere.

Not all rivers have oxbows. They are most common on large rivers where the river is flowing quite fast. But where they do grow, they often make dramatic scenery, as you can see in this picture of the Green River in Utah, USA.

The video is for a gooseneck/meander in a forested area.