Cackling goose

The Cackling Goose , colloquially Lesser or Small Canada/Canadian Goose in North America, belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species.

The Cackling goose is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

basis for the recent split, though the name of Cackling Goose was given to the small species. More

Cackling Goose has recently been split from Canada Goose, hence, little is know of the true status of the "small Canada geese in Arizona. Cackling Goose is an Arizona Bird Committee Review species. More

The Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii), colloquially (and incorrectly) Lesser or Small Canada/Canadian Goose in North America, belongs to the genus Branta of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey Anser species. The black head and neck with white "chinstrap" distinguish this goose from all except the larger Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) and the similarly sized Barnacle Goose (B. leucopsis). There are up to 5 subspecies of Cackling Goose, of varying sizes and plumage details. More

The Cackling Goose was formerly considered to be a set of subspecies of the Canada Goose. A recent proposed revision by Harold Hanson suggests splitting Canada Goose into six species and 200 subspecies. The radical nature of this proposal has provoked surprise in some quarters, such as Rochard Banks of the AOU, who urges caution before any of Hanson's proposals are accepted. More

The Cackling Goose is one of North America's "newest" birds. In 2004, the American Ornithologist's Union determined that the four smallest (of eleven) subspecies of the Canada Goose were actually a unique species—now officially called the Cackling Goose. This "split" was based largely upon mitochondrial DNA analysis, but certain characteristics of appearance and behavior also separate the two species. However, even experienced bird watchers may have difficulty separating Cackling from Canada Geese, especially during migration, when mixed flocks occur. More

Cackling Goose: Formerly part of the Canada Goose family, this smaller goose with a rounder head has dark gray-brown upperparts and paler underparts grading to white on vent. Head and neck are black with white chin bar. Of the four races the "leucopareia" and "hutchinsii" (shown here) have a white band at the bottom of the black neck. The smaller, darker "minima" and larger, paler "taverneri" lack this white band. Sexes are similar. More

Cackling Goose The majority of the Aleutian Cackling goose population nests in the western Aleutian Islands (Alaska), with lesser numbers in the central Aleutians and very small numbers (<200) in the Semidi Islands. The population had threatened/endangered status for decades but was delisted in 2001. Non-native fox populations on breeding islands were the primary reason for poor recruitment in to the population. More

The newly recognized Cackling Goose is a smaller version of the Canada Goose. Formerly considered the smallest subspecies of one variable species, recent work on genetic differences found the four smallest forms to be very different. These four races are now recognized as a full species: the Cackling Goose. It breeds farther northward and westward than does the Canada Goose. More

subspecies of Cackling Goose, of varying sizes and plumage details. Some are hard to distinguish from the Canada Goose, with which the Cackling Goose was long assumed to form one species, and the name Lesser Canada Goose properly denotes the subspecies parvipes of the Canada Goose. The smallest 1.4 kg-Cackling Geese (B. h. minima) are much smaller than any Canada Goose, but the subspecies B. h. hutchinsii, at up to 3 kg, grows to the same size as some Canada Geese. More

The status of Cackling Goose, which was recently split from Canada Goose, is poorly known in Arizona and there are only a handful of accepted records. Cackling Goose is an ABC review species.. The ABC requests that reports of these species be accompanied by full details, including when possible, a photo, tape recording, video, or field sketch. Please send documentation to the Arizona Bird Committee via the online form or click here for further instructions and information about ABC. More

Cackling Goose was distinctly darker than the rest of the chest. This darkness is only apparent in some of our photos. CackGoo544a.jpg (28983 bytes) When facing directly into the sunlight, the chest of the Cackling Goose was not extremely different from that of the Canadas. In fact, some variability was noticeable amongst the Canadas, but none of them showed the distinct dark area below the neck of the Cackling. More

Cackling Goose is increasing (B.h. taverneri), one is declining (B.h. minima), and a third is recovering after a decline (B.h. leucopareia). Cackling Geese are susceptible to lead poisoning from ingesting lead pellets in hunting areas and mortality from pesticides and other toxins. The decline in numbers of B.h. minima may be due to sport and subsistence hunting. Gas and oil development in the arctic may put some populations of Cackling Geese at risk. More

Aspects of the topic cackling goose are discussed in the following places at Britannica. Assorted References * description (in Canada goose (bird)) ...North American goose with a black head and neck. It has white cheeks that flash when the bird shakes its head before taking flight. The various subspecies range in size from 2 kg (4.4 pounds) in the cackling goose (B. More

Cackling Goose, on 27 Dec 2004 at Lake Junaluska, Haywood County, NC. Since the AOU recently elevated the Cackling Goose to full species status, separate from Canada Goose, more attention has been focused on it and it is likely that there will soon be many records from the Carolinas. More

Cackling Goose - Canada Goose Subspecies Identification Indicators Introduction by Harry Krueger Cackling Goose Cackling Goose, B. h. minima. Photo More

"Taverner's" Cackling Goose is never as light colored on the upper breast as the lighter parvipes. The color of the upper breast can gradually darken toward the belly, or be unicolored with a darker belly shade, which normally has more brownish tones than breast. Belly and flanks are generally the same color. 2. More

The Cackling Goose was originally considered to be the same species or a subspecies of the Canada Goose, but in July 2004 the American Ornithologists' Union's Committee on Classification and Nomenclature split the two into two species, making Cackling Goose into a full species with the scientific name Branta hutchinsii. The British Ornithologists Union followed suit in June 2005. The AOU has divided the many associated subspecies between both animals. More

Cackling Goose should be an expected wintering goose in North-Central Texas and can be found in flocks of Canada Geese. The following web site has more information on Cackling Goose range and identification (range map at bottom of page): http://www.sibleyguides.com/canada_cackling.htm In a nutshell, the Cackling Goose of our area is Richardson's subspecies (B. h. hutchinsii ). It would likely only ever be confused with the Canada Goose subspecies known as Lesser Canada Goose (B. c. parvipes). More

(Lesser Canada) Cackling Goose Complex (Branta canadensis & B. hutchinsii). = - Contents (click links to jump ahead) Major Update Oct. 2004 - AOU announce split of Cackling Goose from Canada Goose. Taxonomy of the Canada-type Geese. Common Canada Goose Group Dusky Canada Goose Group Lesser Canada Goose Group Cackling Canada Goose Group Acknowledgements. Useful web sites. Useful Literature. More

The Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii, was reclassified as a separate species from the Canada Goose in 2005. Cackling Geese usually winter in the Central Valley, but a few make their way to the Bay Area each year. More

that the English name Cackling Goose, which has in the past been more or less restricted to the smallest subspecies (the far western B. c. minima) is now the species name for all four of the small subspecies. This new species takes the scientific name of the earliest-named subspecies and becomes Branta hutchinsii. More

* The Cackling Goose was long considered just a small race of the Canada Goose. The smallest four of the eleven recognized races were recently determined to be distinct enough to be their own species. Cackling Goose includes the races known as Taverner's, Richardson's, Aleutian, and Cackling geese. Confusingly, the "Lesser Canada Goose" is still a race of the Canada Goose. More

The Cackling Goose most likely to be seen in Michigan is the former Canada Goose race B. c. hutchinsii, or Richardson's Goose, discussed above. The other small former Canada Geese are western birds that would be comsidered very rare in the east. An excellent report on this is on the Ontario Field Ornithologists' web site. David Sibley's website gives great information. More

though the name of Cackling Goose was given to the small species. Even though it was not split into three species, in order to fully appreciate the problems now facing the field birder with identification of the two new species, it is instructive to take a look at the split from the perspective of the three-group system. Here's how the subspecies are placed under the three-group system: Canada Goose: This includes the subspecies B. c. canadensis (Atlantic), B. c. interior (Interior), B. c. More