Yvonne wrote:

"We also found a smaller race of Canada Goose. I could use some help in
distinguishing the different races. This was a very small goose with a
petite looking bill. It had a short neck and the black on the neck did
not go down as far as the larger more familiar race I've seen. I looked
up my notes on Canada Goose races. Besides the large Columbia Basin
Canada Geese we should get Dusky, Lesser and Cackling. This goose was
not dark enough to be a Dusky which I've seen pictures of. Could
someone share info about the difference between Lesser and the Cackling
subspecies. This goose looked very comfortable swimming around with
Ruddy Ducks. Size wise it was larger but not that much larger."

Yvonne,

It sounds to me as though you've found a Cackling Canada goose. In general, the Cacklers are small (slightly - maybe half again - larger than a Mallard), have kind of a 'puffy' head (high crown), short necks and short, stubby bills. The cackler's breast is generally dark in color - and the adults tend to have a purplish cast to the breast.

The "medium"-sized Canadas, such as the Taverners, Aleutians and Lessers, tend to have a proportionately longer neck and bill, as well as have a pound or two of weight over the Cackler. The most common subspecies of these medium sized geese in this area is the Taverner's Canada. It is substantially smaller than the locally-nesting Western/Great Basin subspecies (B.c. moffitti), and is lighter in color than the Cackler, Dusky or Vancouver's subspecies. Tends to have a darker-gray breast feather coloration than do the Western "honkers". It appears to be about twice the size of a Mallard.

For those interested in differentiating the subspecies of Canada Geese, the Washington and Oregon Departments of Fish and Wildlife have a brochure:

Pacific Northwest Goose Management

This publication is oriented toward the hunting public, in the agencies' efforts to harvest abundant populations of geese while reducing impacts on populations of concern.

BUT, the brochure has a pretty good description of the life history and identification of the seven subspecies of Canada geese that are found in the region. In addition to this booklet, hunters are urged to purchase a videotape "Pacific Northwest Goose Management", which supplements the booklet information. The video is "Easy to Order!!" Call (800) 861-1342, (360) 491-1332, or fax (360) 491-1333, or email http://www.cco.net/~vland. Only $10, including tax, shipping, etc." I have not seen the video, so cannot vouch for what they show; if someone's seen this I'd sure appreciate hearing whether it's worth buying.

The average waterfowl hunter in Western Oregon and Washington is required to identify these subspecies of Canada Geese. It seems to me that the Birding Community is lagging behind :-)

I got my copy of the booklet at the WDFW license counter in Olympia; I presume that a copy of the booklet could be obtained by writing to WDFW, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 USA.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net