Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii), Cibola NWR, La Paz County

These Aleutian Cackling Geese were found and photographed by David Pearson on 18 December 2015

The six individuals together at this site in Cibola NWR represent a high number for Arizona. All the populations of Cackling Geese show ranges of phenotypic variation that can make identification to subspecies ambiguous. The Aleutian Cackling Goose (B. h. leucopareia) is a subspecies with a poorly understood status in Arizona. Its population numbers are steadily recovering from extremely low numbers on the Alaskan breeding grounds. The main wintering area for this subspecies is in the Central Valley of California.

Cackling Geese are separated from Canada Geese by smaller size, shorter neck, and proportionately shorter bill. Although all subspecies are variable in many ways, generally the Aleutian is distinguished by a prominent gray-white neck collar with dark lower border (found occasionally on all forms but far more prevalent in Aleutian), moderately small bill, "square" forehead, dark brown breast and often a black stripe on the chin that separates the white cheek patches. Only two of the six individuals observed, however, had a black chin stripe.

18 December 2015, photo by David Pearson

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