Cackling Goose - Like Canada, but Smaller

When Cackling Geese landed on the waterfowl display pond in Regina's Wascana Park recently, I thought they were Canada Geese. But when they swam closer, I realized that despite the similar markings, they looked quite different. Not only were they much smaller — closer to duck-sized — but they had rounded heads, with steeply sloped foreheads and small triangular beaks. Kind of stub-faced, in fact.

Small Cackling Goose in Regina, SK  © SB 

The Cackling Goose used to be a sub-species of the Canada Goose, but it's now recognized as genetically distinct, and as a separate species that in summer flies far further north to breed. We get them here during migration, as we're on their flyway from their winter grounds.  

For comparison, here's a large, long-billed Canada Goose that was patrolling its territory in the same park, where some of its species live year-long.

Large Canada Goose in Regina, SK.  © SB

What is this? A Cackling Goose (Bernache de Hutchins), and a Canada Goose (Bernache du Canada).

Location: Wascana Park, Regina, SK
Photo dates: Cackling Goose: September 29, 2016; Canada Goose: April 26, 2016.

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Blue Snow Goose or Hybrid? A Mystery to Me!

Mystery goose with other lake geese   © SB  

A strange white-necked goose swam with the regular Canada geese on Regina's Wascana Lake in late March.

Its head was white, too, and from the shape of its bill, it looked like a Snow Goose to me.

But I know very little about such things...

From what I've read, however, there are two colour patterns of Snow Geese — the white morph and the blue morph.

White is easy: These birds are primarily white.

Blue, less so. These bird are partly white, and partly gray-brown.

(It was the same size as the others on the lake, which looked like small Canada Geese, so perhaps they were Cackling; I don't really know.)

These are my clearest images; not great, but this mystery bird was far across the lake.

Mystery goose with Cackling Geese and Tundra Swan,
Wascana Lake, Regina.  © SB

What is this?  A goose. Perhaps a Blue Morph Snow Goose.  
Location: Wascana Lake, Regina, Saskatchewan.  
Photo date: March 29, 2012. 

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