Subject: Re: Canada Goose Movements
Date: Jun 8 13:16:56 1995
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at ups.edu


Stuart, Great Basin (Branta canadensis moffitti) is the breeding subspecies
of Canada Goose in the NW; populations W of the Cascades came from
introduced birds. This is the biggest western subspecies, and birds from
Michigan shouldn't belong to it. Most of the geese seen on Montlake are
this type, but probably just about all the other subspecies drop in at the
fill from time to time. Sometimes you see them together.

Conspicuously smaller when seen with the big guys are Lesser (B. c.
parvipes) and Dusky (B. c. occidentalis), both migrants and local winterers
in the area. Lesser are light (pretty close to the color of Great Basin),
Dusky are dark. Then you go down in size to Cackling (B. c. minima) and
Aleutian (B. c. leucopareia).

Almost doesn't matter which subspecies the Michigan birds were;
considerably more cosmic than a Black-throated Sparrow turning up at the
fill, in my estimation. I'm surprised you didn't get a *special*
certificate.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416