Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form

Species: TWO Cackling Geese (minima sub s.)

Reporter: Heidi Ware HeidiTheBirdNerd@yahoo.com

2120 Mortimer Drive Boise, ID 83712 (208) 860-5935

Other Observers: Jay Carlisle

Date Report Prepared: 6-19-10

Date Sighting Occurred: 10-12-09

Locality of Observation: Blue Creek Wetlands at Mountain View Reservoir/Lake. On the NE shore

Habitat: flat shore of the wetlands

Conditions: somewhat cold, cloudy day. I use Vortex Viper 10x42 binos

Did you take notes…

no

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work?

no

What guide(s) or reference(s) did you consult?

Description: two very small geese, standing among a group of Canada Geese. They had obviously short stumpy bills, with steep, “pushed in” foreheads, and thickish short necks (even when stretched up)They were almost as small as Mallards. They also had darker shading at the tops of their chests (before their black neck) versus the white on the Canadas. Their heads were somewhat “squareish”

Behavior: they were standing with a group of Canada Geese on the shore. Sometimes feeding. Eventually they took off with the rest of the geese and flew away.

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? As soon as we pulled up in our vehicle, I said “hey, are those cacklers?” and sure enough they were! They were super obvious because they are the smallest sub species of cackling geese, and compared to the Canadas around them they were super tiny and stub-faced.

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they?

Canada Geese are a similar species, but the (mostly) Lesser ss. of Canada’s found in our area are much larger, with longer, thinner necks, longer bills, and more “sloped” faces (like the comparison of a swan to a wigeon face). Most Canada Geese we see also have lighter at the top of their chest, versus the dark on a Cackling. There are also other ‘medium sized’ sub species of cackling, but these seemed much too small bodied and billed to fit.

Experience with this species (and similar species):

I’d seen Taverner’s Cackling Geese before, but never a minima. I have of course seen 1000’s of Canada Geese.

General birding experience: I have been seriously birding for a little over a year. I now feel confident on my visual and auditory ID skills of many common Idaho bird species. I

spent the summer of ‘09 conducting bird point count surveys using both sight and sound

for ID. I also have in-hand experience with many Idaho species.

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? (If yes, please include or attach) Yes, see attached digiscoped photos by Jay Carlisle

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