Subflocking and Winter Movements of Canada Geese in Southern Illinois

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Abstract
The daily and seasonal movements of radio-tagged, adult, female Canada geese (B. canadensis) were monitored over the winters of 1980-1981 (n = 9 geese) and 1981-1982 (n = 16) to examine Raveling''s (1969) hypothesis of discrete subflocks on Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Intra-refuge roost-site shifts by individuals prior to freeze-up occurred both winters and varied both temporally and geographically, thus suggesting a lack of cohesion among birds composing a single roost. Direction of feeding flights by radio-tagged geese generally were consistent within a season but varied between years; corn availability seemed a probable stimulus affecting flight direction. Inter-refuge shifts occurred as early as Nov. and were most freqent during Jan., Feb. and March. Because geese associated with a specific roost may have moved among roosts or refuges as singles, family units, or as part of a subflock within a roosting concentration, the data do not unequivocally support the existence of discrete subflocks.

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