Cackling Goose

Branta hutchinsiiOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Codes: Common Name: CAGO Scientific Name: BRAHUT ITIS Taxonomic No.: 714068

Breeding Location:

Tundra, Rocky cliffs, Ponds, Streams

Breeding Type:

Monogamous

Breeding Population:

Common to abundant

Egg Color:

White, nest stained.

Number of Eggs:

2 - 8

Incubation Days:

25 - 30

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Sticks, grass, weeds, and moss lined with down.

Migration:

Migratory

General

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.

Range and Habitat

Cackling Goose: Native to North America. Breeds in northern Canada and western Alaska to Baffin Island, southward to central Yukon in a variety of tundra habitats. Winters from British Columbia south to California, northern Mexico and western Louisiana.

Breeding and Nesting

Cackling Goose: Two to eight white, nest-stained eggs are laid in a nest built near water by the female of sticks, grass, weeds, and moss lined with down. Sometimes on rocky clifs. Incubated by the female for 25-30 days.

Foraging and Feeding

Cackling Goose: Eats a variety of grasses when foraging; also feeds on agricultural crops such as wheat, beans, rice, and corn. Sometimes tips like puddle ducks when feeding on aquatic plants such as wild celery, sea lettuce, and sago pondweed.

Vocalization

Cackling Goose: Call is a loud honking or a hig-pitched, squeaking cackle.

Similar Species

Cackling Goose: Canada Goose is larger, head is larger, sloped, and bill is longer.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Cackling Goose

Cackling Goose: Formerly included in the Canada Goose family, this species is smaller with a rounder head and shorter neck and bill. There are four subspecies, we show the hutchinsii that has darker upperparts and a white neck ring. Winters from the southern Great Plains to the western Gulf Coast.

● Song: "honk, honk, honk"

● Foraging & Feeding: Cackling Goose: Eats a variety of grasses when foraging; also feeds on agricultural crops such as wheat, beans, rice, and corn. Sometimes tips like puddle ducks when feeding on aquatic plants such as wild celery, sea lettuce, and sago pondweed.

● Breeding & nesting: Cackling Goose: Two to eight white, nest-stained eggs are laid in a nest built near water by the female of sticks, grass, weeds, and moss lined with down. Sometimes on rocky clifs. Incubated by the female for 25-30 days.

● Similar species: Cackling Goose: Canada Goose is larger, head is larger, sloped, and bill is longer.

Flight Pattern

Strong deep wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Cackling Goose: Native to North America. Breeds in northern Canada and western Alaska to Baffin Island, southward to central Yukon in a variety of tundra habitats. Winters from British Columbia south to California, northern Mexico and western Louisiana.

^BreedingMonogamous

^PopulationCommon to abundant

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight33.54 - 105.9 Ounces

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Chin

The area of the face just below the bill.

Vent

Birds do not have two separate cavities for excrement and reproduction like humans do. In birds, there is one single entrance/exit that suits both functions called the vent, cloaca or anus.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

Cackling Goose

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Nest Material:

Migration:

Recommended Products:

General

Range and Habitat

Breeding and Nesting

Foraging and Feeding

Vocalization

Similar Species

Cackling Goose

Flight Pattern