Morphology of the Cackling Canada Goose

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Hunting of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) has been restricted in large parts of California [USA] since 1975 as part of a program attempting to increase numbers of Aleutian Canada geese (B. c. leucopareia). The most abundant Canada goose in California in winter is the cackling goose (B. c. minima). The cackling goose, along with Taverner''s Canada goose (B. c. taverneri), is also the subspecies most likely to be confused with the Aleutian Canada. Increased management of Canada geese in California and other Pacific flyway states by subspecies requires data on distribution of races as identified in trap and hunter-kill samples based on descriptions adequate to differentiate these subspecies. The purpose of this paper is to provide a quantitative description of cackling geese collected on their breeding grounds in Alaska and compare them to measurements of geese identified as cackling geese in California. These data, along with additional measurements of Aleutian Canadas, should assist in the identification of these subspecies where their ranges overlap.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: