The Cackling Goose

In a recent post, we talked about Canadian Geese, which are one of the best known waterfowl in existence today. However, there is a lesser known bird that is so similar to Canadian Geese that it is quite easy to mix the two up. In this post, we'll introduce you to this obscure bird, and offer some tips on how to tell it apart from Canadian Geese. So let's get started by saying hello to the Cackling Goose!

The Cackling Goose is a small, compact bird. It has a short neck, a rounded crown, short legs, and long wings. It features a small bill that meets the forehead at a steep angle. Geese of both sexes are 24.8 to 25.6 inches (63 to 65 centimeters) long with a wingspan of 42.5 to 43.7 inches (108 to 111 centimeters). They can weigh anywhere from 49.3 to 84 ounces (1,398 to 2,380 grams). Cackling Geese are generally brown (this varies from dark brown to pale brown among the subspecies of Cackling Geese), with a black neck and head, and white cheek and chinstrap. Their bills, feet, and legs are all "blackish" in color. Additionally, they are white under the tail.

There are four subspecies of Cackling Geese. They differ in plumage, structure, and size. The smallest and darkest subspecies, minima, breeds in Western Alaska, and spends the winter months in Oregon and California. The next smallest subspecies, leucopareia, breeds in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, and spends the winter in central California. It is more pale than minima, with a distinctive white collar located where the black neck meets the brown body. The subspecies hutchinsii (also known as Richardson’s Goose) breeds mainly in Central and Eastern Arctic Canada, and migrates to the southern Great Plains for the winter. This subspecies is even more pale, and doesn't have a white collar. The largest subspecies, taverneri, (also known as Taverner’s Goose) breeds from Northeastern Alaska into Canada, and winters in the southwestern United States. This subspecies has a longer bill, and is very similar to the smallest subspecies of Canada Goose (Lesser Canada Goose, subspecies parvipes). This close similarity mean that you will want to use caution in identifying intermediate individual birds. Using the term “Canada/Cackling Goose” is generally the best way to record these.

Cackling Geese build their nests in the arctic tundra, typically on islands in marshes or small lakes. They forage for food year round in meadows and wetlands. During migration season and when they are on their wintering grounds, they forage in agricultural fields. At night they roost with other geese in wetlands, reservoirs, and lakes.

The Cackling Goose looks like a smaller version of the widespread Canada Goose, and that is a generally accurate way of describing them. The two are almost identical in plumage. However, Cackling Geese are more delicate, with stubbier bills, shorter necks (if you see the two birds flying together, the shorter necks are "strikingly apparent", which will help you spot which birds are Cackling Geese versus Canadian Geese), steeper foreheads, and more rounded heads. Like their larger relatives, Cackling Geese forage for foods in marshes and fields in large flocks, often mixed in with other species of goose.

Cackling Geese breed in remote northern Canada and Alaska. This means that any geese you see in the summer months are probably going to be Canadian Geese. However, in the winter months, and during the spring and fall migration periods, Cackling Geese may be present here in the Pacific Northwest. If you see a flock of geese, you may be able to spot a Cackling Goose by looking carefully for a small, short-necked goose with a short bill. A word of caution is warranted here, as Canadian Geese often draw their necks in when they are resting, which makes them look small.

Cackling Geese typically nest near water. The nest site is chosen by the female, who then proceeds to build the nest. She normally builds a shallow scrape and fills it with plant material gathered in the immediate vicinity of the nest site. She then lines the nest with down feathers. Cackling Geese lay four to six eggs. The eggs start out being white, but eventually become "nest-stained". Incubation is handled by the female, while the male stands nearby guarding the nest. The incubation period lasts for nearly a month. The young leave the nest one to two days after they hatch, and make their first flights at six to seven weeks of age. They are tended to by their parents, but have to find food on their own. The diet of Cackling Geese consists almost exclusively of plant material. They eat a wide variety of plants, including stems and shoots of grasses, cultivated grains, sedges, and aquatic plants.

Cackling Geese were once classified as being a smaller species of Canadian Geese. However, in 2004, the smallest four of the eleven recognized Canada Goose subspecies were reclassified as being their own species. However, in some locations, Cackling Geese and Canadian Geese crossbreed in several locations, which can make distinguishing the two species a challenge. Your best bet for finding Cackling Geese may be to look for them on south-facing turf slopes above sea cliffs and steep rock slopes, as the Aleutian and "Richardson's" subspecies build their nests in those locations. If hiking in the tundra is your cup of tea, you may find Cackling Geese nesting on ponds and streams there as well.

To accurately identify a Cackling Geese, it is important to observe the bird from different angles first. The reason is that can be more difficult to tell what a goose from angle than it is from another. For example, the thickness and length of a goose's neck can vary depending on whether it is feeding, resting, or on alert. However, the best way to make an accurate judgment is to listen for the bird's call. Cackling Geese do not have the deep, throaty honks of Canadian Geese. Instead, they produce high-pitched squeaks and yips. They also cackle, hence the name Cackling Goose.

For more tips on distinguishing between Cackling Geese and Canadian Geese, I recommend checking out these two interactive images on thinglink.com.

Cackling Geese: https://www.thinglink.com/scene/903715613724114946?buttonSource=viewLimits

Canadian Geese: https://www.thinglink.com/scene/903700905285648386?buttonSource=viewLimits

The images showcase features that are unique to each goose species, which should help improve your chances of distinguishing between them. However, it is important to note that not every Cackling Goose will have all  of the features presented in the Cackling Geese image. That is because the species can show considerable variation when compared to each other. For example, the Ridgway's Goose, a Cackling subspecies that winters in Western Oregon, has a peaked head that’s closer to that of a Canada Goose than to other species of Cackling Geese.

We hope this post helps you distinguish between Canadian Geese and Cackling Geese. Happy bird watching!

References

1. https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/canada-goose
2. https://www.audubon.org/news/learn-tell-cackling-goose-canada-goose
3. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cackling_Goose/id
4. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cackling_Goose/overview

Photo by Anish Lakkapragada on Unsplash

© Ian D. Caldwell, January 2021