RECORD #: 1-B-04

IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM

SPECIES:

Cackling Goose - B.c. Minima

HOW MANY:

one

REPORTER:

Terry Gray
890 Stefany Ln.
Moscow, ID 83843
208-882-1585

REPORTER EMAIL:

clgtlg@genesee-id.com

OTHER OBSERVERS:

Christine Gray (wife)

DATE REPORT PREPARED:

7/25/06

DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:

11/07/04

LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:

Lewiston, Idaho
Kiwanis Park
Snake River Avenue

HABITAT:

Levee Pond at city park

CONDITIONS:

Clear sky, wind calm, temp. mid 70's. Bushnell 10x50. Nacked eye. bird was only 20 feet from us. did not take notes but took many digital photos.

DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:

No, not at all

DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:

Yes, during the observation

WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:

The Sibley Guide to Birds and National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America.

DESCRIPTION:

Geese, Swans and Ducks.
A very tiny goose. About the same size as a Mallard Drake near it. Bird had a rounded head an very short bill. The breast was dar with a purplish cast that when it turned into the sun was more purple than when not in the sun. Wasmuch smaller than the other 20 or so Canada Geese it was with.



BEHAVIOR:

The geese at the park were mainly resting and waiting for a handout from people. There was no one feeding them at the time. Bird was observed in the water and on the shore. The geese flew after a time and the Cackling goose was the last to launch and like all geese they were all honking but when the Cackling Goose flew right over me (the last to be airborn) it sound much different, more like a high pich kak kak.

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?

Was confident that it was a Cackling Goose when I first saw it. Based on its size, shape of its head and small bill with the dark purplish looking breast it fit for a Cackling Goose.

HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?

From the field guide I had the only goose that fit for the look of this bird was a Cackling Goose. Later Harry Kruger informed me it was a B.c. Minima since Sibleys and National Geographic do not break them down that far.

EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):

This was my first encounter with a small goose. In all the years up at Sandpoint I had never seen a goose this small before.

GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:

I have been a back-yard birder most of my life and an active birder for the past 5 years leading field trips for Palouse Audubon and Canyon Birders for the past 4 years.

WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?:

Photo 1 | Photo 2 | Photo 3