In this photos, the Cackling Geese are number to aid in separation from the very similar, but much larger, Canada Geese.

On January 6, 2007, while birding the back property of Oxbow Meadows, I found 6 geese among a flock of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) that I determined to be the Richardson's subspecies of Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii). Probably the biggest ID challenge is separating this subspecies from the Lesser Canada Goose (B.c.parvipes). The single best tool for identification is probably the bill length to head length ratio. In the following photos notice that the bill length is approximately 40-50% of the head length. In the Lesser Canadas, the ratio is generally closer to 70-75% of the head length. There can still be a bit of variance and other supplemental marks may be needed.

Overall body size could help where Lesser Canadas are generally noticeably larger than B.h.hutchinsii, but there still may be some overlap. The breast color on the birds in the photos is very pale. This helps some, but Lesser Canada breast color maybe somewhat light as well. The only other possible species/subspecies likely to be confused with B.h.hutchinsii is B.h.taverneri which is generally a little larger, proportionally longer billed and darker breasted. I do not believe the birds in the photos are that subspecies. Another noticeable marker on these birds is the much greyer color on the upperparts with whitish highlights on the tips of the feathers. This may not necessarily be unique to B.h.hutchinsii but it is definitely different than the much browner colored Canadas in the photos. What made me settle on this species and subspecies was a composite of the mentioned field marks.

In Fall of 2004, the AOU voted to split the Cackling Goose from the Canada Goose. Currently there are 5 subspecies of Cackling Goose and 7 subspecies of Canada Goose The only other occurence of Cackling Goose of any type was in February of 2006 when 5 Richardson's Cackling Geese were found by Jim Flynn and Earl Horn in Twiggs Co.

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