Winter Distribution and Affinities of Canada Geese Marked on Hudson and James Bays

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Abstract
Management plans for redistribution of the Mississippi Valley Population Canada geese (B. canadensis) in the USA prompted an investigation of the fall and winter distribution, migration chronology and population affiliation of Canda geese marked on nesting areas in Manitoba and Ontario. During 1976-1977, 804 geese were neckbanded. Encounters in 1976 and 1977 (N = 1418) demonstrated a strong association of geese from the coast of Hudson Bay and the western cost of James Bay with the Mississippi Valley Population. Approximately 50-60% of the marked samples bypassed east central Wisconsin refuges in migrating to wintering area. Marked individuals from both years were observed at all major goose refuges in east central Wisconsin and southern Illinois. The Oct. 8th mean arrival date in Wisconsin in 1976 was 8 days earlier than that for geese marked in previous years at Horicon. Departure from Wisconsin in 1977 was earlier than in 1976 and was associated with abnormal heavy snowfall and the Horicon goose dispersal program. Age ratios in trapped samples (7.7 immatures/adult female) suggested the inclusion of gang broods. Geese from the same nesting area did not remain together during fall and winter. Although some family groups were identified on migration and winter refuges, the observed mean number of marked immatures per adult female (1.7) was lower than the mean recorded on the nesting areas.

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