Cackling Goose

Branta hutchinsii (Richardson, 1832) LQ LECGO 1664
Family: Anseriformes > Anatidae

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.

Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Cackling Goose

  • Breeding
  • Winter
Accidental

SEASONALITY

1.8k records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
1.8k records

BTO RECORDS

Accidental

SEASONALITY

1.8k records observations recorded by BTO surveyors
1.8k records

BTO RECORDS

Identification

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Status and Trends

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

CONSERVATION STATUS

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

POPULATION SIZE

We have no population estimates for this scarce species.

DISTRIBUTION

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

DISTRIBUTION CHANGE

This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Movement

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

RINGING RECOVERIES

View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.

Biology

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

PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING

Sample sizes are too small to report Productivity and Nesting statistics for this species.

CODES & CLASSIFICATION

For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name

Welsh: Gwydd Glegyrog
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

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