Subject: Montlake Fill -- tiny geese
Date: Oct 27 18:14:29 2000
From: Kelly Mcallister - mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov


On Fri, 27 Oct 2000, Michael Dossett wrote:

> There were lots of other Canadas there too, of various
> sizes and shades. I am not very familiar with the
> various forms of Canadas that are seen in this area.
> Does anyone have a good reference for telling the
> different types apart?


Well, Washington State Fish and Wildlife has a small guide booklet (black and white illustrations)
that does a pretty good job showing the features that differentiate the 6 subspecies that are
found in Washington. I don't have one here at home but the geese you saw were undoubtedly
Cackling Canada Geese, which are small and usually dark.

Our largest Canada Goose subspecies are the Western (=Great Basin) Canada Goose (the resident
breeders that have become so abundant around many of our cities and the Dusky Canada Goose, a
large dark goose the migrates to Washington in Fall (from the Copper River delta in Alaska).

The Lesser Canada Goose is a medium-sized, generally light under-bellied goose fairly similar to one
of our other common migrant subspecies, the Taverner's Canada Goose. I am still inexperienced with
telling these subspecies apart.

The small Aleutian Canada Goose is rarely seen in Washington but they are seen periodically, particulary
around the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. It is generally lighter than the Cackler and often has
a white ring that goes all of the way around the base of the neck. This subspecies apparently averages
smaller than the Cackler.

Kelly McAllister
Olympia, Washington