Cackling Goose

Race leucopareia
Photo by Marysan
Lindo Lake, Lakeside, California, USA.

Branta hutchinsii

Identification

55-75cm

• Black head and neck
• White chinstrap
• Pale tan to brown breast
• Brown back
• White rump
• White undertail
• Black tail, legs, iris and bill

Similar species

Canada Goose differs in a number of ways^{[3, 4]}

Distribution

Photo by jbissell
Northern Iowa, October 2006

North America.

Taxonomy

Was until recently considered part of Canada Goose

Subspecies^[1]

There are 5 subspecies:

• B. h. leucopareia - Aleutian Cackling Goose
  • Aleutian Islands, Alaska
• B. h. hutchinsii - Richardson's Cackling Goose
  • North-central Canada and rare but regular in Greenland
• B. h. minima
  • West Alaska coast to Mackenzie delta
• B. h. asiatica^† - presumed extinct
  • Bering Sea, last record 1914
• B. h. taverneri - Taverner's Cackling Goose
  • Central Alaska to Mackenzie delta

Habitat

Tundra near ponds and streams, coastal marshes.

Behaviour

Breeding

The nest is a shallow depression lined with plant material and down. The clutch consists of 2-8 cream eggs.

Diet

The diet includes aquatic plants, insects, molluscs and crustaceans.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. All About Birds
3. Sibley on identification of Cackling vs Canada Goose
4. Much more information on Cackling Goose in this page

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Cackling Goose. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Cackling_Goose

External Links

Search for photos of Cackling Goose in the gallery