"White-cheeked" Goose woes
Canada or Cakling?!?.... let's hash it out here!
In my last blog post I wrote about the leucistic or light goose I digiscoped in Anchorage. Given the very short-necked appearance I leaned toward Cackling Goose over Canada Goose, but have to admit. I'm not wholly sure. One disadvantage of living in Florida.... I never see either one here at home!
There has always been a wide range of variation in size amongst the "white-cheeked" goose complex. Formerly all called Canada Goose, these have more recently been split into two separate species Canada Goose (larger) and Cackling Goose (smaller) much like the Snow and Ross' Geese.
Cackling generally have shorter necks and stubby bills than Canada but the smallest Canada Geese (subspecies parvipes) and largest Cackling Geese (subspecies taverneri) are very similar in structure and size and difficult to separate. Guides suggest taverneri Cackling average darker... not real helpful on this bird. At any rate, all wanting to partake in an ID discussion, please comment.
I think it would be fun, and I've never been afraid to be wrong so let's talk it out.
posted by Jeff Bouton at
12:07 PM
5 Comments:
Sweet bird!!
Just looking at the head and neck, I'd venture that it is a Canada Goose. The bill looks dished and the head looks rounded- I think of Cacklers as having more squared-off heads and wedge-shaped bills with pretty straight culmens. But we get Richardson's Cackling Geese here in Colorado- I haven't seen a coastal bird...
I really like plumage oddities and this is a honey of one! -Willy
Thanks for the comments Bill. As I said, I don't have either here on home turf, and the current guides still don't cover this group adequately. I know there have been more in depth articles published though. Hopefully others will have comments to add as well.
Hi Jeff
would like to add my cents worth?
I have travelled to the Island of Islay on the west coast of Scotland a few years back to take images of what we call wild canada geese which get caught up in with the overwintering Barnacle geese and whitefronts along with the occasional snow goose migrating back and forth each winter, its a great place and i have done three trips so far, nearly went this Jan but other commitments!
There are 2 articles in Birding World a monthly subscribed magazine in which articles were written and a number of pictures taken, this is way back when i was video scoping if you can get hold of them?
Try a google on cackling canda goose "images" if you havent already, i think that will point you in the right direction and also on richardsons taverneri, parvipes, then you will get a feel for the jiz, i dont think it is cackling, which i have seen in a few captivity here in the UK, i would tentatively point towards a slightly luecistic Richardsons based on your one pic but its difficult without any other geese for comparison
Rgds
Paul
Two on the side of Canada, any others. I still haven't taken time to track down research materials beyond the NGS and Sibley guides. Which offer no clear cut solutions for seperating the two very similar subspecies of the two new species (parvipes and taverneri).
I have an image of "Aleutian" Cackling Goose taken at this same spot last year and the bill structure is very different, but again this character is pictured more intermediate in the larger more "Canada-esque" taverneri.
Thanks guys, keep the commentary coming!
The longish bill seems to have me thinking Canada rather than cackling.
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