Illustration from Field Guide to the Birds of North America
Aleutian Canada Goose
Branta canadensis leucopareia
Subspecies of Canada Goose
March 8, 1806, at Fort Clatsop, Oregon.
Smallest form of Canada goose; black head and neck marked with distinctive white "chin strap." Length: 25 in (64 cm).
Rich musical honking in larger races; high-pitched cackling in smaller races.
Lakes, bays, rivers, and marshes. Often feeds in open grasslands and stubble fields.
Breeds from Alaska east to Baffin Island and south to California, Illinois, and Massachusetts. Winters south to northern Mexico and Gulf Coast. Widespread as a semi-domesticated bird in city parks and on reservoirs.
On the U.S. Endangered Species list until March 2001.
Well known for their V-shaped migrating flocks and rich, sonorous honking, Canada geese are among the most familiar of North America's waterfowl. Like other geese, these birds are chiefly grazers, feeding on stubble fields and eating marsh vegetation.
