Cackling Goose

Branta hutchinsii

Introduction

A small version of the Canada Goose, this extremely rare visitor from North America was only recognized by taxonomists relatively recently.

This species was added to the British List in 2016 on the basis of a bird seen at Plex Moss, Lancashire, in November 1976. The species breeds in northern North America and winters further south in Canada and the USA.

A handful of individuals are thought to reach Britain & Ireland annually as vagrants, wintering among Barnacle Geese in north-west Scotland and western Ireland.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

1.8kg

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

1.8k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Lancashire, 1976

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.6%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for Cackling Goose

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

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This species has been too rarely reported to BirdTrack during 2011–22 to properly assess seasonality.

Movement

Information about Cackling Goose movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Cackling Goose, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Cackling Goose

Classification and Codes

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Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Scientific name: Branta hutchinsii
Authority: Richardson, 1832

BTO 2-letter code: LQ
BTO 5-letter code: LECGO
Euring code number: 1664

Alternate species names

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Catalan: oca de Hutchins
Danish: Dværgcanadagås
Dutch: Kleine Canadese Gans
Estonian: eskimo lagle
French: Bernache de Hutchins

German: Zwergkanadagans
Hungarian: alaszkai lúd
Icelandic: Alaskagæs
Italian: Oca canadese di Hutchins
Latvian: Bafina zoss
Lithuanian: šiaurine kanadine bernikle
Norwegian: Polargås

Polish: bernikla pólnocna
Portuguese: ganso-da-tundra
Slovak: bernikla tundrová
Spanish: Barnacla canadiense chica
Swedish: dvärgkanadagås
Welsh: Gwydd Glegyrog

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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