Cackling Goose spotted by Richmond Hill Naturalist Club member...

Photo: audubon.org

CACKLING GOOSE (in foreground of photo above)
Canada Goose in background

Allison Zhang of the Richmond Hill Naturalists has reported observing a Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) on January 15th of this year.   The photo above was taken by Blake Matheson/FlickerCC(BYNC2.0) and appears on audubon.org .   The Cackling Goose is now recognized as a smaller version of the Canada Goose.  Formerly considered the smallest sub-species, there are now four small forms of the Canada Goose to be recognized as a full species that breeds further north and west of the full-sized Canada Goose (Branta canadensis).   The new species should be spotted however, in the winter, along the north shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

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BarrytheBirder