The standard scheme is to recognize 10 or 11 subspecies which vary
primarily along dimensions of size and belly color. There are big ones,
medium sized ones, small ones, and extra small ones, some with dark
bellies, some light. Michigan used to be within the range of C. b.
maximus, I believe, which is very much like C. b. moffitti of the
inter-mountain west except slightly larger. That is, very large with
pale belly versus large with pale belly.

Gene Hunn.

On Thu, 8 Jun 1995, Don Baccus wrote:

> Stuart, pitiful with Commonwealth geese subspecies, wrote:
>
> Dennis "the amazed" wrote:
>
> >> Were these "Great Basin" Canada Geese or one of the smaller subspecies?
> >> Any idea?
>
> >Sorry Dennis, I'm not sure how to identify the different subspecies of canada
> >goose, except perhaps the really small one which I have assumed up until now
> >were the "cackling" variety.
>
> >Anyone care to elighten me ?
>
> The banders, of course, should've figured out which subspecies when
> the birds were in the hand.
>
> They were probably banded by state or fed F&W types, I don't know
> if they routinely contact those who submit reports of band sightings.
> A lot of banders do. Raptor band returns from the Goshutes are
> always followed up by a phone call, if possible, mail, otherwise,
> to get further information on how the band was recovered (usually
> cause of mortality, if known). Then again, we only get about a
> 0.7% return...waterfowl returns are often via hunters, when the
> cause of mortality is easy to determine :)
>
> With a little effort you might be able to contact the banders of
> the Michigan birds. I should think they'll be as amazed as we
> are by the wide-wandering habits of their birds - it would be
> hard for them to wander further west! They might be interested
> in knowing more details, i.e. were they just seen the one day?
> Or did others see them?
>
> As Dennis said, they were probably wintering and probably left.
>
> This is a good example, though, of the value of repeatedly scouring
> nearby places for interesting birds, and of the value of reporting
> band returns of common species. I bet a lot of birders, even,
> who see a banded Canada goose wouldn't bother reporting it, imagining
> that it's a "local" whose presence is well-known to the local F&W
> types who band waterfowl.
>
> My best band return (other than recapturing hawks) was a white
> pelican at Malheur about 3-4 years ago. I actually didn't return it,
> a retired USF&W type I was with took on that responsibility, but he
> pointed out that the bird must've been at least 19 years old, as it
> had an old BBL address on it...it was also very corroded.
>
> - Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>
>
>
>