The mortality, behavior, and homing of transplanted juvenile Canada geese
by Dennis Charles Surrendi
A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE in Fish and Wildlife Management
Montana State University
© Copyright by Dennis Charles Surrendi (1969)
Abstract:
During the summers of 1967 and 1968, 273 flightless seven and eight week-old Canada geese (Branta
canadensis maxima) were transplanted about 100 miles from their natal lakes near Brooks, to release
sites northeast of Hanna, Alberta. All transplants received leg bands and colored neck collars for field
identification. Observations of transplant behavior were calibrated to the nearest minute for quantitative
analysis. Preflight mortality was determined from gosling counts made during the behavioral
observations. Postflight locations, identity, and behavior of transplants were recorded. The mortality of
goslings was negligible during the transplant operations. A preflight mortality of 4 percent was
recorded. Feeding was the major daily preflight activity of transplants, and occurred most intensively at
sunrise and sunset. Resident geese were dominant over transplants. Nonbreeding resident geese were
more tolerant to transplants than were breeding pairs. The postflight movements of transplants from
release sites occupied by residents were localized and as a unit under the leadership of the resident
birds. Transplants on release sites unoccupied by resident geese dispersed from these lakes in small
groups immediately after attaining flight. From 68 males and 68 females transplanted in 1967, 13
homing yearlings were recorded in the spring of 1968. All of the homing transplants were females.
This represented a calculated 43 percent theoretical homing rate for yearling female Canada geese.
Eighty-five percent of these females were initially sighted on or within one mile of their release sites.
Eighty-five percent of the 13 homing females formed pair associations with unmarked ganders. The
pair bonds involving some of the yearling females appeared to become unstable just prior to the
summer molt migration. No yearling transplants were present on the study area after May 31. On
August 23, 1968 one of the yearling females returned to its 1967 release site following a summer molt
migration. Conclusions and management recommendations were presented. THE MORTALITY, BEHAVIOR, AHD HOMING OF TRANSPLANTED
JUVENILE CANADA GEESE
by
DENNIS CHARLES SURRENDI
A t h e s i s s u b m itte d t o t h e G ra d u a te F a c u l t y i n p a r t i a l
f u l f i l l m e n t o f t h e r e q u ir e m e n ts f o r t h e d e g r e e
of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
in
F is h an d W i l d l i f e M anagement
AnrvrnnrAfl •
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, M ontana
J u n e , 1969
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
To t h e f o ll o w i n g , among o t h e r s , I w ish t o e x p r e s s my s i n c e r e
g r a t i t u d e f o r t h e i r c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o t h i s s tu d y :
D r. R o b e rt L. Eng,
M ontana S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , f o r t e c h n i c a l s u p e r v i s i o n an d g u id a n c e i n
p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h e m a n u s c r ip t; M r. W illia m W is h a r t, f o r i n i t i a l p r o j e c t
p la n n in g an d f i e l d a s s i s t a n c e ; M r. C h a r le s L acy , f o r f i e l d a s s i s t a n c e
an d u s e o f Ducks U n lim ite d b a n d in g r e c o r d s ; M r. O l i v e r G lim s d a le an d
M r. A rn o ld P a u ls e n , f o r i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a n d r e p o r t s o f l o c a l band
r e c o v e r i e s ; Ducks U n lim ite d (C an ad a) a n d A l b e r t a G overnm ent F i s h a n d
*
W i l d l i f e p e r s o n n e l, f o r a s s i s t a n c e i n b a n d in g an d t r a n s p l a n t o p e r a t i o n s ;
t h e i n h a b i t a n t s i n an d a ro u n d S p o n d in , A l b e r t a f o r t h e i r s i n c e r e i n t e r e s t
and c o o p e r a tio n ; D r. Don C. Quimby an d D r. R ic h a r d J . Graham, M ontana
S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , f o r c r i t i c a l r e a d i n g o f t h e m a n u s c r ip t; an d t o my
w if e . P enny, f o r p a t i e n c e , e n c o u ra g e m e n t, an d a s s i s t a n c e .
The A l b e r t a
G overnm ent F is h an d W i l d l i f e D iv is io n p r o v id e d me w ith a v e h i c l e an d
f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t d u r in g t h e f i e l d w ork p o r t i o n o f t h e s tu d y .
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
VITA.....................................................................................................................................................
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................................................
ill
TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................................................................................
iv
LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................................................
v
LIST OF FIGURES..........................................
ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................................................
vi
v ii
INTRODUCTION............................
I
DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA..........................................................................................
3
METHODS.............................................................
6
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.............................................................................
8
P r e f l i g h t P e r i o d .....................
M o r t a l i t y . .................................................................
D a ily A c t i v i t i e s . . . . . . . . ..............................................................................
S o c i a l B e h a v io r ................................
P o s t f l i g h t P e r i o d . .....................
M o r t a l i t y . . . .............................................................................
B e h a v io r an d A c t i v i t i e s .................................................................................
Y e a r lin g A c t i v i t i e s ......................................................
H o m i n g . . . . . . ...........................................................................................
B re e d in g B e h a v io r .....................
F a l l A c t i v i t i e s ...........................................................................
8
8
12
15
16
16
16
19
19
23
26
CONCLUSIONS...........................................................................
28
MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................
29
APPENDIX............................................................................................................................................
30
LITERATURE CITED
32
V
LIST OF TABLES
T a b le
I.
P age
STUDY LAKE SIZE, AND THE NUMBER AND SEX COMPOSITION OF
GOSLINGS TRANSPLANTED TO THE STUDY LAKES DURING THE 1967
AND 1968 STUDY PERIODS...............................................................................................
9
II.
THE 1967 AND 1968 TRANSPLANT PREFLIGHT MORTALITY..................................
IO
III.
DAILY PREFLIGHT ACTIVITY OF TANSPLANTED G O S L I N G S . . . . . . . . . . ..........
31
IV .
1967 AND 1968 FALL MOVEMENTS AND FLOCK .UNITY...........................................
17
V.
SEX, LOCATION OF INITIAL SIGHTING, AND MOVEMENTS OF
HOMING YEARLING TRANSPLANTS DURING THE SPRING OF 1968 .....................
20
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENTIAL HOMING AMONG
YEARLING CANADA GEESE................................................................................................
21
V I.
vi
LIST OF FIGURES
F ig u r e
Page
1.
Map show ing t h e s tu d y a r e a an d l o c a t i o n o f s tu d y l a k e s . .................
4
2.
D a ily p r e f l i g h t a c t i v i t y o f t r a n s p l a n t e d g o s l i n g s ......................
13
3.
S p rin g a r r i v a l an d d e p a r t u r e d a t e s , an d p a i r s t a t u s o f
hom ing y e a r l i n g fe m a le g e e s e on t h e s tu d y a r e a ......................................
24
v ii
ABSTRACT
D u rin g t h e summers o f 1967 an d 1968 , 273 f l i g h t l e s s s e v e n an d e i g h t
w e e k -o ld Canada g e e s e ( B r a n ta c a n a d e n s is maxima) w ere t r a n s p l a n t e d a b o u t
100 m ile s fro m t h e i r n a t a l la k e s n e a r B ro o k s, t o r e l e a s e s i t e s n o r t h e a s t
o f H anna, A l b e r t a . A l l t r a n s p l a n t s r e c e i v e d le g b an d s a n d c o l o r e d n eck
c o l l a r s f o r f i e l d i d e n t i f i c a t i o n . O b s e r v a tio n s o f t r a n s p l a n t b e h a v io r
w ere c a l i b r a t e d t o t h e n e a r e s t m in u te f o r q u a n t i t a t i v e a n a l y s i s . P r e ­
f l i g h t m o r t a l i t y was d e te r m in e d fro m g o s l i n g c o u n ts made d u r in g t h e
b e h a v i o r a l o b s e r v a t i o n s . P o s t f l i g h t l o c a t i o n s , i d e n t i t y , an d b e h a v io r
o f t r a n s p l a n t s w ere r e c o r d e d . The m o r t a l i t y o f g o s l i n g s was n e g l i g i b l e
d u r in g t h e t r a n s p l a n t o p e r a t i o n s . A p r e f l i g h t m o r t a l i t y o f 4 p e r c e n t was
r e c o r d e d . F e e d in g was t h e m a jo r d a i l y p r e f l i g h t a c t i v i t y o f t r a n s p l a n t s ,
and o c c u r r e d m ost i n t e n s i v e l y a t s u n r i s e a n d s u n s e t . R e s id e n t g e e s e w ere
d o m in an t o v e r t r a n s p l a n t s . N o n b reed in g r e s i d e n t g e e s e w ere m ore t o l e r a n t
t o t r a n s p l a n t s t h a n w ere b r e e d in g p a i r s . The p o s t f l i g h t m ovem ents o f
t r a n s p l a n t s fro m r e l e a s e s i t e s o c c u p ie d b y r e s i d e n t s w ere l o c a l i z e d an d
a s a u n i t u n d e r t h e l e a d e r s h i p o f t h e r e s i d e n t b i r d s . T r a n s p la n ts on
r e l e a s e s i t e s u n o c c u p ie d by r e s i d e n t g e e s e d i s p e r s e d fro m t h e s e l a k e s i n
s m a ll g ro u p s im m e d ia te ly a f t e r a t t a i n i n g f l i g h t . From 68 m a le s an d 68
fe m a le s t r a n s p l a n t e d i n 1967 , 13 hom ing y e a r l i n g s w ere r e c o r d e d i n t h e
s p r in g o f 1968 . A l l o f t h e hom ing t r a n s p l a n t s w ere f e m a le s . T h is
r e p r e s e n t e d a c a l c u l a t e d 43 p e r c e n t t h e o r e t i c a l hom ing r a t e f o r y e a r l i n g
fe m a le C anada g e e s e . E i g h t y - f i v e p e r c e n t o f t h e s e f e m a le s w ere i n i t i a l l y
s i g h t e d on o r w i t h i n one m ile o f t h e i r r e l e a s e s i t e s . E i g h t y - f i v e
p e r c e n t o f t h e 13 hom ing fe m a le s fo rm ed p a i r a s s o c i a t i o n s w ith unm arked
g a n d e r s . The p a i r b o n d s in v o lv in g some o f t h e y e a r l i n g f e m a le s a p p e a re d
t o become u n s t a b l e j u s t p r i o r t o t h e summer m o lt m i g r a t i o n . No y e a r l i n g
t r a n s p l a n t s w ere p r e s e n t on t h e s tu d y a r e a a f t e r May 3 1 . On A u g u st 23 ,
1968 one o f t h e y e a r l i n g f e m a le s r e t u r n e d t o i t s 1967 r e l e a s e s i t e
f o llo w in g a summer m o lt m i g r a t i o n . C o n c lu s io n s an d m anagem ent recom m enda­
t i o n s w ere p r e s e n t e d .
INTRODUCTION
The n a t u r a l d i s p e r s i o n o f l a r g e C anada g e e s e ( B r a n ta c a n a d e n s is
maxima) th r o u g h o u t t h e i r o r i g i n a l b r e e d in g r a n g e , a s i n d i c a t e d b y H anson
( 1965 ) , c a n b e s t be d e s c r ib e d a s slo w e v e n u n d e r optim um h a b i t a t c o n d i t i o n s .
T h is l a c k o f p io n e e r in g may be due t o c e r t a i n p h y s i o l o g i c a l an d b e h a v i o r a l
c h a ra c te ris tic s .
Mayr (1 9 4 2 ) s t a t e d t h a t s tr o n g i n t r a f a m i l y b o n d s p la y e d
a n im p o r ta n t r o l e i n t h e s u b s p e c i a t i o n o f Canada g e e s e o v e r a r e a s w here
g e o g ra p h ic b a r r i e r s w ere l a c k i n g .
W ith r e f e r e n c e t o g e e s e i n g e n e r a l ,
J o h n s g a r d ( 1965 ) a t t r i b u t e d slo w i n c r e a s e i n num bers an d l a c k o f g en e
m ix in g t o a d e la y e d m a tu r a ti o n an d perm an en cy o f p a i r b o n d s r e s p e c t i v e l y .
Sherw ood ( 1967 ) c o n firm e d t h e f o r m a tio n o f b o th p a i r an d i n t r a f a m i l y
bonds.
He a l s o fo u n d a l a c k o f d i s p e r s i o n fro m t h e n a t a l a r e a p a r t i c u ­
l a r l y b y f e m a le s .
Due t o th e im p o rta n c e o f C anada g e e s e f o r t h e i r e s t h e t i c a n d s p o r t i n g
q u a l i t i e s , b i o l o g i s t s h av e a tte m p te d t o i n c r e a s e t h e p r o d u c ti v e e f f i c i e n c y
o f e x i s t i n g h a b i t a t w i t h i n t h e i r b r e e d in g r a n g e .
W orkers o f v a r i o u s
w i l d l i f e a g e n c ie s h av e a tte m p te d t o a r t i f i c i a l l y e s t a b l i s h l o c a l b r e e d in g
p o p u la tio n s b y u s in g c a p t i v e f l o c k s o r b y t r a n s p o r t i n g an d r e l e a s i n g
ju v e n ile s .
T h ese a t te m p t s h av e p ro d u c e d v a r i a b l e r e s u l t s .
P h illip s 1
( 1928 ) summary o f e f f o r t s t o t r a n s p l a n t w ild b i r d s i n N o rth A m erica gav e
no m e n tio n o f s u c c e s s w ith C anada g e e s e .
From s p a r s e o b s e r v a ti o n s o f
le g b an d ed b i r d s an d r e c o v e r i e s o f l e g b a n d s , P i r n i e
(1938) c o n c lu d e d
t h a t t h e r e s t o c k i n g o f C anada g e e s e b y c a p t i v e f l o c k s was s u c c e s s f u l i n
s o u th e r n M ic h ig a n .
W illia m s an d K alm back (194-3) s t u d i e d l e g band"
r e c o v e r i e s o f b o th c a p t i v e an d t r a n s p l a n t e d j u v e n i l e C anada g e e s e and
s t a t e d , " . . . t h e y show no te n d e n c y t o r e t u r n t o t h e a r e a fro m w h ich th e y
cam e."
A s te a d y i n c r e a s e i n t h e p r o d u c ti o n o f w ild g o s l i n g s a t Seney
R efuge fro m 1936 t o 19^5 was a t t r i b u t e d b y J o h n so n (1 9 ^ 7 ) t o t h e
d ev elo p m en t o f a l o c a l b r e e d in g p o p u l a t i o n fro m a c a p t i v e f l o c k .
In
a s s e s s i n g t h e u s e o f c a p t i v e f l o c k s f o r t h e r e s t o r a t i o n o f C anada
g e e s e , N e ls o n ( 1963 ) s u g g e s te d t h a t q u a n t i t a t i v e e v id e n c e r e l a t i n g t o
t h e p o s i t i v e an d n e g a t iv e r e s u l t s o f su c h p ro g ram s was l a c k i n g .
He
recom mended t h a t i n t e n s i v e r e s e a r c h b e c o n d u c te d t o a s s e s s f u t u r e
re s to ra tio n p ro je c ts .
The p u rp o s e o f t h i s s tu d y was t o q u a n t i t a t i v e l y a s s e s s t h e
m o r t a l i t y , b e h a v io r , an d hom ing o f j u v e n i l e s t h a t h a d b e e n t r a n s p o r t e d
b y a r t i f i c i a l means fro m t h e i r n a t a l a r e a t o some d i s t a n t p o i n t an d
re le a s e d .
DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA
The s tu d y a r e a was l o c a t e d i n s o u t h e a s t e r n A l b e r t a w i t h i n 30 m ile s
o f t h e Town o f Hanna ( F ig u r e l ) .
(W yatt e t a l . ,
T h is r e g i o n i s o f g l a c i a l o r i g i n
1 9 3 8 -1 9 ^3 ) an d i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d t o p o g r a p h i c a l l y by
g e n t l e u n d u la tio n s i n t e r s p e r s e d w ith h i l l s an d c r e e k d r a i n a g e s .
L ocal
la n d u s e p r a c t i c e s a r e p r i m a r i l y a g r i c u l t u r a l w ith t h e g r e a t e s t e m p h asis
on d r y la n d g r a i n fa rm in g an d c a t t l e r a n c h i n g .
A c o m p le te an d q u a n t i t a t i v e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e v e g e t a t i o n fo u n d on
t h e a r e a i s g iv e n b y C ou p lan d (1 9 5 0 )•
He d e s c r i b e d t h e v e g e t a t i v e
c o v e r a s "m ixed p r a i r i e " w ith t h e d o m in an t g r a s s e s b e in g S t i p a co m ata,
S t ip a s p a r t e a v a r . c u r t i s e t a an d B o u te lo u a g r a c i l i s .
A r te m i s ia f r i g i d a
i s t h e m ost a b u n d a n t f o r b , w h ile S y m p h o ric a rp o s o c c i d e n t a l i s an d R osa
s p p . a r e t h e m o st common s h r u b s .
The c l im a t e o f t h e a r e a r e p r e s e n t s t h a t t y p i c a l l y fo u n d i n n o r th
te m p e r a te c o n t i n e n t a l r e g io n s an d i s c l a s s e d a s a c o o l , s e m ia r id ty p e
( C o upland, 1 9 5 0 ).
I t i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y d a i l y an d s e a s o n a l e x tre m e s
i n te m p e r a tu r e a n d a lo w a n n u a l p r e c i p i t a t i o n .
The mean a v e r a g e a n n u a l
te m p e r a tu r e i s 3 6 .4 d e g r e e s F . w ith m o n th ly a v e r a g e s v a r y in g fro m 6 .0
d e g r e e s F . i n J a n u a r y t o 6 4 .3 d e g r e e s F . i n J u l y .
p r e c i p i t a t i o n i s 1 4 .5 4 i n c h e s .
The a v e r a g e a n n u a l
D u rin g J u n e I t o A u g u st 31 o f 1967 an d
1968 , t h e p r e c i p i t a t i o n t o t a l l e d 3 .2 4 in c h e s an d 7*54 in c h e s r e s p e c t i v e l y .
C lim a tic i n f o r m a tio n was o b ta in e d fro m t h e C a n a d ia n D e p artm en t o f T r a n s p o r t
W e a th e r O f f ic e s a t Edm onton a n d C o r o n a tio n .
-4 -
o
i
i
3
m iles
N
Still Jteax
4
Him
Like
Alberta
Slill Irii
F ig u r e I .
Map show ing t h e s tu d y a r e a an d l o c a t i o n o f s tu d y l a k e s .
-5 -
A l a c k o f p e rm a n e n t n a t u r a l w a te r b o d ie s th r o u g h o u t t h i s r e g i o n h a s
p ro m p ted Ducks U n lim ite d (C an ad a) t o c o n s t r u c t o v e r I J 5 dams i n t h e a r e a
s i n c e 1940 t o p r o v id e s t a b l e h a b i t a t f o r w a te r f o w l p r o d u c t i o n .
METHODS
L akes w ith r e s i d e n t g e e s e a n d th o s e w ith o u t w ere d e l i b e r a t e l y c h o s e n .
The l a k e s a l s o s a t i s f i e d t h e s e c r i t e r i a :
( l ) a minimum f lo o d e d a r e a o f
50 a c r e s , (2 ) t h e p r e s e n c e o f p o t e n t i a l g o o se n e s t i n g h a b i t a t , an d ( 3 )
a c c e s s i b i l i t y t o th e o b s e rv e r.
G eese u s e d f o r t r a n s p l a n t i n g w ere tr a p p e d on Ducks U n lim ite d
im poundm ents a b o u t 100 m ile s s o u th o f t h e s tu d y a r e a n e a r B ro o k s, A l b e r t a .
The b i r d s w ere a g e d an d se x e d u s in g plum age an d c l o a c a l c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
a s sum m arized by H anson ( 1962 ) .
G o s lin g s w ere f u r t h e r a g e d t o th e
n e a r e s t week fro m plum age d e s c r i p t i o n s p r e s e n t e d b y Yocum an d H a r r i s
( 1965 ) .
I n a d d itio n t o le g b an d s, a l l t r a n s p l a n ts re c e iv e d c o lo re d
f l e x i b l e p l a s t i c c o l l a r s (S herw ood, 1966 ) b e a r i n g l e t t e r - n u m e r a l
c o m b in a tio n s t o p e r m it f i e l d i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a l g e e s e .
Sherw ood fo u n d t h a t g o s l i n g s o l d e r t h a n se v e n w eeks e x h i b i t e d h ig h e r
c o lla r
r e te n tio n th a n g o s lin g s in y o unger age g ro u p s .
O nly f l i g h t l e s s
g o s l i n g s b e tw e e n t h e a g e s o f s e v e n an d e i g h t w eeks w ere u s e d .
The
t r a n s p l a n t s w ere c r a t e d a t t h e t r a p p i n g s i t e s , b a n d e d , a n d t r a n s p o r t e d
by m o to r v e h i c l e t o t h e s tu d y a r e a w here e a c h c o h o r t was r e l e a s e d on a.
p r e a s s ig n e d s tu d y la k e i n l a t e a f t e r n o o n o r a t n i g h t .
T h ro u g h o u t t h e s tu d y , a l l w r i t t e n a c c o u n ts o f t r a n s p l a n t b e h a v io r
w ere c o n tin u o u s an d c a l i b r a t e d t o t h e n e a r e s t m in u te f o r q u a n t i t a t i v e
a n a ly s is .
A 25 pow er s p o t t i n g sc o p e was u s e d t o a i d o b s e r v a t i o n s .
S p e c i f i c o b s e r v a t i o n a l te c h n iq u e s w ere u s e d d u r in g t h e p r e f l i g h t
p e rio d .
A l l c o h o r ts w ere o b s e rv e d d u r in g e a c h d ay fro m one h o u r b e f o r e
s u n r i s e t o one h o u r a f t e r s u n s e t .
O b s e r v a tio n a l p e r i o d s w ere o f u n e q u a l
-7 -
d u ra tio n .
They w ere r o t a t e d among t h e s tu d y l a k e s t o o b t a i n d a t a on t h e
d a i l y b e h a v io r o f e a c h c o h o r t .
V a r i a t i o n s i n t h i s p r o c e d u r e o c c u r r e d due
t o in c le m e n t w e a th e r a n d e q u ip m en t m a l f u n c t i o n s .
To a v o id in f l u e n c i n g
t h e t r a n s p l a n t b e h a v i o r , I re m a in e d c o n c e a le d d u r in g a l l p r e f l i g h t
o b s e rv a tio n s .
P r e f l i g h t m o r t a l i t y was d e te r m in e d fro m t r a n s p l a n t c o u n ts
d u r in g t h e b e h a v i o r a l o b s e r v a t i o n s .
D ata c o n c e r n in g a c t i v i t i e s o f t r a n s p l a n t s fro m s u n r i s e u n t i l tw o
h o u rs a f t e r s u n r i s e an d fro m tw o h o u r s b e f o r e s u n s e t t o s u n s e t w ere
a n a ly z e d i n h a l f h o u r i n t e r v a l s .
The a n a l y s i s o f a c t i v i t i e s p r i o r t o
s u n r i s e , th r o u g h o u t t h e m idday (fro m tw o h o u rs a f t e r s u n r i s e u n t i l tw o
h o u rs b e f o r e s u n s e t ) , an d a f t e r s u n s e t was d e te r m in e d b y g r o u p in g t h e
d a ta o b ta in e d f o r e a c h r e s p e c t i v e tim e p e r i o d (A p p en d ix , T a b le I I I ) .
T r a n s p la n t a c t i v i t i e s d u r in g t h e m o rn in g a n d e v e n in g w ere d iv i d e d
in to th re e g e n e ra l c a te g o rie s :
( l ) F e e d in g , ( 2 ) R e s ti n g , an d ( 3 )
P r e e n in g , B a th in g , a n d / o r D r in k in g .
The a c t i v i t i e s i n c a t e g o r y t h r e e
w ere a s s e s s e d a s one g e n e r a l a c t i v i t y b e c a u s e t h e y a l l f r e q u e n t l y
o c c u r r e d s im u lta n e o u s ly w i t h i n a g r o u p .
se p a ra te d in to fo u r c a te g o r ie s :
M idday a c t i v i t i e s w ere
( l ) F e e d in g , (2 ) R e s tin g on W ater,
(3 ) R e s tin g on L and, an d (4 ) P r e e n in g , B a th in g , a n d / o r D r in k in g .
G r e a te r m o b i l i t y o f t h e o b s e r v e r was r e q u i r e d t o o b t a i n p o s t f l i g h t
d a ta .
A l l a c c e s s i b l e w a te r b o d ie s an d f i e l d s w i t h i n t h e b o u n d a ry o f
t h e s tu d y a r e a w ere c h e c k e d d a i l y f o r g e e s e ( F ig u r e l ) .
i d e n t i t y , an d b e h a v io r o f a l l t r a n s p l a n t s w ere n o te d .
The l o c a t i o n ,
O nly d u r in g
e x te n d e d o b s e r v a ti o n s o f p o s t f l i g h t b e h a v io r d i d I a t te m p t t o re m a in
c o n c e a le d
RESULTS AED DISCUSSION
T h ro u g h o u t t h e s tu d y , f i v e Ducks U n lim ite d r e s e r v o i r s w ere u s e d a s
s tu d y l a k e s (T a b le I ) .
I n 1967, 136 g o s l i n g s c o m p ris e d o f 68 m a le s and
68 fe m a le s w ere t r a n s p l a n t e d t o S tu d y L ak es I , 2 , an d 3 .
t r a n s p l a n t s w ere p la c e d on S tu d y L ak es I ,
3>
an d 5 .
g ro u p t o t a l l e d 137 g o s l i n g s , 6 h o f w h ich w ere m a le s .
The 1968
T h is l a t t e r
B ecau se o f
i n s e c u r e w a te r l e v e l s r e s u l t i n g fro m a l a c k o f s p r i n g r u n o f f i n t h e
a r e a o f S tu d y Lake 2 , t h i s la k e was n o t u s e d i n t h e 1968 t r a n s p l a n t
p ro g ra m .
P r e f l i g h t P e r io d
M o rta lity
One g o s l i n g d ie d d u r in g t r a n s p l a n t o p e r a t i o n s .
2 6 l o r 96 p e r c e n t s u r v iv e d t o f l i g h t ( T a b le I I ) .
Of 273 r e l e a s e d ,
The p r e f l i g h t
m o r t a l i t y v a r i e d on i n d i v i d u a l s tu d y l a k e s fro m a h ig h o f 13 p e r c e n t
(S tu d y Lake 3 i n 1967 ) t o a low o f 0 p e r c e n t (S tu d y Lake I i n 1968 ) .
G o s lin g c o u n ts made t h r e e d a y s a f t e r t h e tim e o f t h e i r r e l e a s e on S tu d y
Lake 3 i n 1967 , an d S tu d y L akes 3 an d 5 i n 1968 , i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e
m a jo r t r a n s p l a n t l o s s e s o c c u r r e d w i t h i n tw o d a y s f o llo w in g t h e i r r e l e a s e .
The f o r m a tio n o f c r e c h e s o r g an g b ro o d s (B ra k h a g e , I 965 ) b y w ild
an d se m id o m e s tic j u v e n i l e C anada g e e s e h a s made s t u d i e s o f g o s lin g
m o rta lity d i f f i c u l t .
By co m p arin g t h e t o t a l num ber o f g o s l i n g s h a tc h e d
w ith t h e t o t a l num ber a t t a i n i n g f l i g h t , G e is (1 9 5 6 ) an d M acInnes ( 1962 )
fo u n d t h e p r e f l i g h t m o r t a l i t y o f tw o s u b s p e c ie s t o b e a b o u t 19 an d 10
p e rc e n t re s p e c tiv e ly .
O th e r e s t i m a t e s h a v e r a n g e d fro m 3 p e r c e n t
(W illia m s a n d M a r s h a ll, 1938) t o 83 p e r c e n t (K o ssa c k , 1 9 5 0 ) .
The k
TABLE I .
Y ear
STUDY LAKE SIZ E , AMD THE NUMBER AND SEX COMPOSITION OF GOSLINGS TRANSPLANTED TO
THE STUDY LAKES DURING THE 1967 AND 1968 STUDY PERIODS.
S tu d y
Lake
Lake S iz e
^ a c re s)l /
S h o r e li n e
L en g th
(m ile s )l/
*1
*2
3
2 2 0 .5
2 1 6 .7
9 1 .5
5 .7
4 .1
5 .1
1967
1968
*1
3
4
*5
ab o v e
ab o v e
52.0
1 7 8 .5
Number o f
T r a n s p la n ts
43**
46
47
S ex o f
T r a n s p la n ts
m
f
19
24
25
24
22
22
S u b to ta ls
136
50
50
ab o v e
above
3 .9
5 .1
S u b to ta ls
41
40
33
23
21
11
14
20
22
22
9
137
64
73
273
132
141
T o ta l
18
l/
*
I n f o r m a t io n o b ta in e d fro m t h e Hanna o f f i c e o f Ducks U n lim ite d - ( C a n a d a ) .
R e s id e n t g e e s e p r e s e n t .
**
T h re e t r a n s p l a n t s , h a tc h e d f o u r m ile s fro m S tu d y Lake I , w ere in c lu d e d i n t h i s g r o u p .
Y ear
1967
1968
THE 1 ^ 6 J AHD 1968 TRANSPLANT RREFLIGHT MORTALITY
S tu d y
Lake
Number
of
G o s lin g s
R e le a s e d
*1
*2
3
40
46
47
*1
3
4
*5
4l
4o
33
23
£
OJ
Il
T o ta l
+
Number o f
T r a n s p la n ts
P r e s e n t , 3 Days
A f t e r R e le a s e
— l/
mmmm
4l
38
—M
22
Number o f
T ra n s p la n ts
P r e s e n t I Wk.
A f t e r R e le a s e
40 + 3 2/
46
4l
4l
38
32
— —
Number o f
T r a n s p la n ts
S u r v iv in g
To F l i g h t
42
45
41
41
38
32
22
261
Number
L ost
P e rC ent
L o st
6
2
2
13
O
O
2
5
3
4
4
I
I
I
I
12
32/
273
l/
2/
*
U n ab le t o make a n a c c u r a t e c o u n t o f t h e t r a n s p l a n t s .
T h re e t r a n s p l a n t s , h a tc h e d f o u r m ile s fro m S tu d y Lake I , w ere r e l e a s e d on S tu d y Lake I
18 d ay s a f t e r t h e r e l e a s e o f t h e o r i g i n a l 40 t r a n s p l a n t s .
R e s id e n t g e e s e p r e s e n t .
-OT
TABLE I I .
-1 1 -
p e rc e n t lo s s o f tr a n s p la n ts in th is
s tu d y i n d i c a t e s a r e l a t i v e l y low
p r e f lig h t m o rta lity .
Though l i t t l e d a t a a r e a v a i l a b l e c o n c e r n in g d i f f e r e n t i a l m o r t a l i t y
among ag e c l a s s e s o f C anada g e e s e g o s l i n g s , s t u d i e s on d u ck s b y Low (1 9 4 5 ),
E a rl
(1950), M i l l e r a n d C o l l i n s (1954), G lo v e r (1956), a n d K e ith (1961)
show t h e g r e a t e s t l o s s o f d u c k lin g s t o o c c u r w i t h i n t h e f i r s t tw o w eeks
a f t e r h a tc h in g .
F o le y e t a l .
(1961) r e c o r d e d t h e s u r v i v a l t o f l i g h t o f
t r a n s p l a n t e d m a lla r d (A nas p l a ty r h y n c h o s ) d u c k lin g s t o b e 39* 5 2 , a n d 68
p e r c e n t f o r t h r e e , f i v e , a n d s e v e n w e e k -o ld d u c k lin g s r e s p e c t i v e l y .
R yder ( 1967 ) a l s o fo u n d a c o n tin u o u s d ro p i n t h e b ro o d s i z e o f R o s s ’
g e e s e ( Chen r o s s i i ) t o t h e a g e o f t h r e e w eek s, a f t e r w h ich f l o c k clum p­
in g made b ro o d s i z e c o u n ts i n v a l i d .
W ith t h i s i n f o r m a tio n i n m ind, i t
a p p e a r s l i k e l y t h a t i f g o s l i n g s y o u n g e r th a n s e v e n w eeks w ere u s e d a s
t r a n s p l a n t s , a p r e f l i g h t m o r t a l i t y h ig h e r t h a n 4 p e r c e n t c o u ld b e e x p e c te d .
C o y o te s ( C a n is l a t r a n s ) , l o n g - t a i l e d w e a s e ls ( M u s te la f r e n a t a ) ,
b a d g e rs ( T a x id e a t a x u s ) , s t r i p e d sk u n k s (M e p h itis m e p h i t i s ) , m arsh hawks
( C irc u s c y a n e u s ) , an d S w a in so n ' s haw ks ( B u teo s w a in s o n i) w ere a b u n d a n t
on t h e s tu d y a r e a .
E le v e n u n s u c c e s s f u l a t te m p t s b y mammalian p r e d a t o r s
t o c a p t u r e t r a n s p l a n t s w ere o b s e r v e d .
G o s lin g s t y p i c a l l y r e a c t e d t o t h e
p r e s e n c e o f a p r e d a t o r by h e e d in g a l e r t w a rn in g s o f o t h e r b i r d s an d moving
o f f s h o re i n t o s e c u r e w a t e r .
Once on t h e w a te r , t h e t r a n s p l a n t s became
v e r y c u r io u s o f t h e i n t r u d e r u s u a l l y f o llo w in g i t a s i t t r a v e r s e d t h e
s h o re lin e .
-1 2 -
D a ily A c t i v i t i e s
A t o t a l o f 9909 m in u te s (A p p ro x . 165 h o u r s ) o f o b s e r v a ti o n s on
p r e f l i g h t a c t i v i t i e s was o b ta in e d (A p p en d ix , T a b le I I I ) .
T h ese a c t i v ­
i t i e s and t h e i r r e l a t i v e m a g n itu d e th r o u g h o u t t h e d a y l i g h t h o u r s a r e
g r a p h i c a l l y p r e s e n t e d i n F ig u r e 2 .
F e e d in g was t h e m a jo r d a i l y a c t i v i t y o f t r a n s p l a n t s .
A sh a rp
i n c r e a s e o c c u r r e d fro m dawn u n t i l s u n r i s e when 100 p e r c e n t o f t h e
o b s e rv e d g o s l i n g s w ere f e e d i n g i n t e n s i v e l y .
I n t e n s i v e f e e d i n g was
m a in ta in e d u n t i l a h a l f h o u r a f t e r s u n r i s e .
A s t e a d y d e c l i n e i n f e e d in g
A t tw o h o u r s a f t e r s u n r i s e 69 p e r c e n t o f t h e t r a n s p l a n t s
f o llo w e d .
w ere f e e d i n g .
D u rin g t h e m idday p e r i o d , f e e d i n g c o m p ris e d 98 p e r c e n t
o f th e g o s lin g a c t i v i t y .
Though f e e d i n g a c t i v i t y f l u c t u a t e d th r o u g h o u t
t h e m idday p e r i o d , a t no tim e d i d i t s d u r a t i o n o r i n t e n s i t y e q u a l t h a t
o b s e rv e d i n t h e m o rn in g o r e v e n in g .
F e e d in g a c t i v i t y in c r e a s e d s t e a d i l y
fro m 58 p e r c e n t , tw o h o u r s b e f o r e s u n s e t , t o 100 p e r c e n t a t s u n s e t .
T h is was f o llo w e d b y a r a p i d d e c r e a s e i n f e e d i n g a c t i v i t y a s d a r k n e s s
a p p ro a c h e d .
The i n t e n s i t y an d d u r a t i o n o f f e e d i n g d u r in g t h e e a r l y
m orning s u g g e s te d ' l i t t l e
o r no f e e d i n g o c c u r r e d a t n i g h t .
The tre m e n d o u s e n e r g y r e q u ir e m e n ts f o r g ro w th an d f e a t h e r d e v e lo p ­
ment b y C anada g e e s e g o s l i n g s ( W illia m s , 1 9 6 7 ; H anson, 1965 ) i s r e f l e c t e d
in t h e i r d a ily a c t iv it y .
I n my s tu d y , t r a n s p l a n t s fro m t h e a g e o f s e v e n
w eeks u n t i l f l i g h t s p e n t o v e r 98 p e r c e n t o f t h e i r d a y tim e a c t i v i t y
fe e d in g .
S i m i l a r f e e d i n g a c t i v i t i e s w ere r e p o r t e d b y Low (1 9 ^ 5 ) f o r
re d h e a d (A y th y a a m e ric a n a ) d u c k l i n g s .
100
90
80'
70
60
50'
40
30-
20100-
D aily p r e f lig h t a c t i v i t y o f tr a n sp la n te d g o s lin g s
-1 4 -
T h ro u g h o u t t h e d a i l y o b s e r v a t i o n a l p e r i o d s , r e s t i n g v a r i e d i n v e r s e l y
w ith f e e d i n g a c t i v i t y ( F ig u r e 2 ) .
The lo w e s t o b s e rv e d r e s t i n g a c t i v i t y
o c c u r r e d d u r in g t h e i n t e n s i v e f e e d i n g p e r i o d s o f e a r l y m o rn in g an d
e v e n in g .
M idday a c t i v i t y d a t a show 56 p e r c e n t o f t h e r e s t i n g o c c u r s
on w a te r .
A l l e a r l y m o rn in g an d l a t e e v e n in g r e s t i n g s i t e s w ere on
i s l a n d s o r lo w , n a rro w p e n i n s u l a s .
W illia m s ( 1967 ) r e p o r t e d t h e u s e
o f s i m i l a r a r e a s by r e s t i n g C anada g e e s e .
The com bined a c t i v i t y o f p r e e n i n g , b a t h i n g , an d d r in k i n g r e a c h e d
i t s h i g h e s t p e a k (1 3 p e r c e n t ) a h a l f h o u r a f t e r t h e p e r i o d o f i n t e n s i v e
m orning f e e d i n g .
T h ro u g h o u t t h e r e s t o f t h e m o rn in g a n d m idday p e r i o d ,
p r e e n in g , b a t h in g , a n d d r in k i n g made up a b o u t 10 p e r c e n t o f t h e
tra n s p la n t a c tiv ity .
Tow ards t h e l a t e a f t e r n o o n , p r e e n i n g , b a t h i n g , an d
d r in k i n g g r a d u a l l y d e c l i n e d u n t i l a t s u n s e t none o f t h e t r a n s p l a n t s w ere
o b s e rv e d i n t h i s com bined a c t i v i t y .
A l l i n t e n s i v e f e e d i n g p e r i o d s w ere
u s u a l l y f o llo w e d b y d r in k i n g an d p r e e n in g a c t i v i t y .
The d u r a t i o n o f
su ch a c t i v i t y v a r i e d d i r e c t l y w ith t h e d u r a t i o n an d i n t e n s i t y o f t h e
f e e d in g p e r i o d p r e c e d in g i t .
B a th in g a c t i v i t y o c c u r r e d m ore f r e q u e n t l y
d u r in g t h e m idday p e r i o d p a r t i c u l a r l y when h o t w e a th e r c o n d i t i o n s
p re v a ile d .
As d a r k n e s s e n s u e d an d f e e d i n g a c t i v i t y d e c l i n e d , a l l
t r a n s p l a n t s d r a b k f o r a. s h o r t tim e t h e n p r e e n e d e x t e n s i v e l y p r i o r t o
t h e i r n ig h t r e s t p e r io d .
-1 5 -
S o c i a l B e h a v io r
Among t h e t r a n s p l a n t s , m a le s d i s p l a y e d a s l i g h t l y h ig h e r dom inance
t h a n d i d f e m a le s .
F i f t y - t h r e e p e r c e n t o f 103 o b s e r v a t i o n s o f dom inance
d i s p l a y s w ere by m a le s .
W illia m s ( 1967 ) s t a t e d t h a t , " E s s e n t i a l l y t h e
m ale c o n t r o l s t h e f e m a l e . . . a n d o l d e r , b ig g e r b i r d s g e t t h e d e c i s i o n s
o v e r y o u n g e r, s m a l le r g e e s e . "
B o th W illia m s ( 1967 ) an d H anson ( 1965 )
c o n firm e d t h a t m a le s a r e n o rm a lly s l i g h t l y l a r g e r t h a n f e m a le s o f e q u a l
age.
T r a n s p la n ts o f e i t h e r s e x t h a t w ere o b v io u s ly y o u n g e r o r s m a l le r
t h a n t h e o t h e r s assum ed a s u b o r d in a t e r o l e i n a l l a c t i v i t i e s .
R e s id e n t a d u l t s a n d g o s l i n g s w ere d o m in an t o v e r t h e t r a n s p l a n t s a t
a l l tim e s .
On many o c c a s io n s r e s i d e n t g o s l i n g s , r e g a r d l e s s o f a g e , w ere
o b s e rv e d t o d o m in a te t r a n s p l a n t s .
T h is c o n f ir m s H a n s o n 's ( 1965 ) s ta te m e n t
t h a t , " . . . t h e . . . im m ature s e p a r a t e d fro m i t s f a m ily was c l e a r l y a t t h e
b o tto m o f t h e p e c k o r d e r . . . . "
B alham (1 9 5 ^ ) a n d Boyd (1 9 5 3 ) a l s o
o b s e rv e d t h e ab o v e m e n tio n e d s o c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s among g e e s e .
V a ry in g d e g r e e s o f t o l e r a n c e t o t r a n s p l a n t s w ere e x h i b i t e d by
a d u l t g e e s e on some o f t h e s tu d y l a k e s .
The b r e e d in g s t a t u s o f r e s i d e n t
a d u l t s was h i g h l y i n f l u e n c i a l i n t h e i r b e h a v io r to w a rd t h e t r a n s p l a n t s .
A s i n g l e , n o n b re e d in g a d u l t was o b s e rv e d t o a s s o c i a t e c o n t in u o u s ly w ith
t h e t r a n s p l a n t s p la c e d on S tu d y Lake 5 i n 1968 .
The n o n b re e d e r j o i n e d
t h e t r a n s p l a n t s im m e d ia te ly a f t e r th e y w ere p la c e d on t h e l a k e .
From
t h i s tim e on, i t assum ed t h e d o m in an t r o l e , show ing l e a d e r s h i p i n a l l
d a ily a c t i v i t i e s .
The am ount o f t o l e r a n c e e x h i b i t e d b y r e s i d e n t b r e e d in g
p a i r s t o t h e t r a n s p l a n t s a p p e a r e d t o b e d e p e n d e n t on t h e ag e o f t h e r e s i d e n t
- 16-
g o s lin g s .
I n g e n e r a l , more t o l e r a n c e was d i s p l a y e d b y r e s i d e n t a d u l t s
whose g o s l i n g s a p p ro a c h e d t h e ag e o f t h e t r a n s p l a n t s .
I n w ild o r
se m id o m e stic p o p u la tio n s o f C anada g e e s e , b ro o d g ro u p in g commonly
o c c u rs a s t h e g o s l i n g s i n c r e a s e i n a g e ( B rak h ag e, 1965 ) .
A d o p tio n
o f t h e s e m ixed b ro o d s i s u s u a l l y b y t h e d o m in an t p a i r i n t h e b ro o d in g
a r e a (S herw ood, 1967 ) .
P o s t f l i g h t P e r io d
M o rta lity
T w e n ty -e ig h t d i r e c t r e c o v e r i e s o f t r a n s p l a n t s w ere r e p o r t e d d u r in g
t h e tw o y e a r s tu d y p e r i o d .
T h is in c l u d e s 21 r e c o v e r i e s fro m t h e h u n tin g
s e a s o n o f 1967 an d s e v e n fro m t h e f a l l o f I 968 .
No i n d i r e c t r e c o v e r i e s
have b e e n r e p o r t e d t o d a t e .
B e h a v io r an d A c t i v i t i e s
The p r e s e n c e o f a d u l t s on s tu d y l a k e s h ad a n o t i c e a b l e e f f e c t on
t h e m ovem ents an d f l o c k u n i t y o f t r a n s p l a n t s r e l e a s e d on t h e s e la k e s
(T a b le 1 7 ) .
The p o s t f l i g h t m ovem ents o f t r a n s p l a n t s u n d e r t h e g u id a n c e
o f r e s i d e n t g e e s e w ere m ore l o c a l i z e d t h a n t h o s e o b s e r v e d f o r t r a n s ­
p l a n t s w ith o u t a d u l t l e a d e r s h i p .
F i f t y - f o u r (8 6 p e r c e n t ) o f 63 f a l l
p o s t f l i g h t o b s e r v a ti o n s made d u r in g t h e tw o - y e a r p e r i o d w ere o f t r a n s p l a n t s
fro m s tu d y l a k e s w here r e s i d e n t a d u l t s w ere p r e s e n t .
F o rty -th re e p e rc e n t
o f t h e s e s i g h t i n g s w ere o f t r a n s p l a n t s on o r w i t h i n one m ile o f t h e i r
r e l e a s e s i t e s ( T a b le I V ) .
IAELE IV .
1 9 6 ? AM) 1968 FALL MOVEMENTS AM) FLOCK UNITY
S tu d y
Lake
Y ear
Lake I
*1967
Number
S u r v iv in g
To F l i g h t
No. Of
S i g h t i n g s On
Or W ith in One
M ile O f Home
L ake A f t e r
F lig h t
No. Of
S i g h ti n g s
O ver I M ile
From Home Lake
A verage F lo c k
S iz e Of
T r a n s p la n ts S ig h te d
Sb Of T o t a l No.
No.
S u r v iv in g To F l i g h t
*1968
42
41
9
4
O
20
42
4l
100
100
*1967
45
4
0
45
100
1967
1968
4l
38
0
I
I
I
13
15
32
39
Lake k
1968
32
O
6
12
38
L ake 5
*1968
22
6
11
22
100
L ake 2
Lake 3
*
R e s id e n t a d u l t s p r e s e n t on t h e s tu d y la k e
- 18-
A lth o u g h many t r a n s p l a n t s a t t a i n e d f l i g h t l e s s th a n one w eek a f t e r
t h e i r r e le a s e , an a t t r a c t i o n to th e r e s id e n t b ir d s a p p e a re d t o i n h i b i t
t h e i r e a r l y d e p a r t u r e fro m t h e s e l a k e s .
I n i t i a l m ovem ents o f t r a n s p l a n t s
away fro m t h e s e s i t e s d i d n o t o c c u r u n t i l t h e r e s i d e n t s a t t a i n e d f l i g h t .
A t t h i s tim e , a l l s u r v iv in g t r a n s p l a n t s l e f t t h e s e l a k e s a s a u n i t
under th e le a d e r s h ip o f th e r e s id e n t b i r d s .
From s u b s e q u e n t p o s t ­
f l i g h t s i g h t i n g s i t i s a p p a r e n t t h a t t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p b e tw e e n r e s i d e n t s
an d t r a n s p l a n t s re m a in e d i n t a c t fro m l a t e J u l y , when i n i t i a l movements
w ere o b s e rv e d , u n t i l e a r l y S ep te m b er when my f i n a l o b s e r v a ti o n s w ere m ade.
I t a p p e a re d t h a t when t r a n s p l a n t s w ere p la c e d o n la k e s o c c u p ie d by
r e s i d e n t g e e s e , t h e r e s i d e n t a d u l t s w ere a d o p te d a s f o s t e r p a r e n t s by
th e tr a n s p la n te d g o s lin g s .
I t a l s o a p p e a r e d t h a t t h e dom inance o f t h e
t r a n s p l a n t s a s a u n i t , r e l a t i v e t o o t h e r g e e s e e n c o u n te r e d i n t h e a r e a
d u r in g t h e i r f a l l m ovem ents, was d e p e n d e n t o n t h e s o c i a l s t a t u s o f t h e
a d o p te d r e s i d e n t b i r d s .
F o r ex am p le, on t h r e e o c c a s io n s d u r in g t h e f a l l
o f 1968 I o b s e rv e d t h e t r a n s p l a n t s fro m S tu d y Lake I an d S tu d y Lake 5
f i e l d f e e d i n g t o g e t h e r , an d on t h r e e o t h e r o c c a s io n s I o b s e rv e d t h e s e
same tw o g ro u p s f e e d i n g an d l o a f i n g o n S tu d y Lake 5 .
T h ro u g h o u t a l l o f
t h e s e o b s e r v a t i o n s , t h e t r a n s p l a n t s fro m b o th la k e s re m a in e d a s d i s t i n c t l y
s e p a ra te u n i t s .
The r e s i d e n t f a m i ly le a d in g t h e t r a n s p l a n t s fro m S tu d y
Lake I was c o m p ris e d o f a d o m in an t p a i r w ith f i v e g o s l i n g s , w h ereas t h e
t r a n s p l a n t s fro m S tu d y Lake 5 w ere l e d by a s i n g l e a d u l t .
T h is d i f f e r e n c e
i n s o c i a l s ta n d in g b e tw e e n t h e tw o f l o c k l e a d e r s a llo w e d t h e g e e s e fro m
S tu d y Lake I t o d o m in a te t h o s e fro m S tu d y Lake 5*
T h is s o c i a l o r d e r
-1 9 -
d e s l g m t i n g a n a d u l t p a i r v i t h a f a m ily d o m in an t o v e r a s i n g l e a d u l t
f o llo w s t h a t d e s c r ib e d by H anson ( 1965 ) an d W illia m s ( 1967 ) .
Of n in e f a l l p o s t f l i g h t o b s e r v a t i o n s made o f t r a n s p l a n t s fro m
la k e s w ith o u t r e s i d e n t a d u l t s p r e s e n t , o n ly one was r e c o r d e d w i t h i n
one m ile o f t h e i r r e l e a s e s i t e .
T h ese d a t a i n d i c a t e t h a t t r a n s p l a n t e d
g o s l i n g s p la c e d on l a k e s u n in h a b ite d b y r e s i d e n t g e e s e d i s p e r s e d fro m
t h e i r r e l e a s e s i t e s im m e d ia te ly a f t e r a t t a i n i n g f l i g h t .
V au g h t (1 9 6 4 )
r e p o r t e d s i m i l a r b e h a v io r o f t r a n s p l a n t e d f l i g h t l e s s young b lu e -w in g e d
t e a l (Anas d i s c o r s ) .
G o s lin g s r e l e a s e d on la k e s w ith o u t r e s i d e n t b i r d s showed l i t t l e
f lo c k co h e re n c e .
When g o s l i n g s on su ch l a k e s became a d e p t a t f l i g h t ,
t h e y im m e d ia te ly d e p a r t e d fro m t h e i r r e l e a s e s i t e s .
T h is b e h a v io r was
v e r i f i e d b y p o s t f l i g h t c o u n ts w hich showed t h e a v e r a g e f l o c k s i z e o f
t r a n s p l a n t s fro m s tu d y la k e s w ith o u t r e s i d e n t s t o b e a b o u t one t h i r d
o f t h e o r i g i n a l num ber s u r v iv in g t o f l i g h t on t h e s e a r e a s (T a b le I V ).
Y e a r lin g A c t i v i t i e s .
Homing
Two h u n d re d an d t e n s i g h t i n g s o f 13 hom ing t r a n s p l a n t s w ere made
d u r in g t h e s p r in g o f 1968 .
A l l w ere fe m a le s (T a b le V ), an d w ere fro m
a p o t e n t i a l o f I 36 (6 8 m a le s an d 68 f e m a le s ) g o s l i n g s t r a n s p l a n t e d
t h e p r e v io u s summer.
C a l c u l a t i o n s i n T a b le V I i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e o r e t i c a l l y ,
43 p e r c e n t o f t h e s u r v iv in g y e a r l i n g fe m a le s e x h i b i t e d hom ing te n d e n c ie s
(95 p e r c e n t c o n f id e n c e l i m i t s a r e .2 5 < P f - PI11< . 6 l ) .
A s in g le o b serv a­
t i o n o f one m ale t r a n s p l a n t was r e c o r d e d i n t h e l a t e s p r in g a s i t p a s s e d
'
TABLE V.
R e le a s e
S ite
Lake I
Lake 2
Lake 3
SEX, LOCATION OF INITIAL SIGHTING, AND MOVEMENTS OF HOMING YEARLING TRANSPLANTS
DURING THE SPRING OF 1968 .
Id e n tity
O f Homing
T r a n s p la n t
Sex
L o c a tio n O f
I n i t i a l S ig h ti n g
Y ello w D3
Y ello w B7
F
F
Lake I
Lake I
B lu e
B lu e
B lu e
B lu e
B lu e
B lu e
B4
C9
B9
D8
DT
CT
F
F
F
F
F
F
B lu e
B lu e
B lu e
B lu e
B lue
HT
HS
16
H3
F8
F
F
. F
F
F
T o t a l No. Of
S i g h t i n g s On
S tu d y A r e a l/
S ig h ti n g s On
S ig h tin g s
Or W ith in I M ile
O ver I M ile
Of Home L a k e V
From Home L ake!
Of T o t a l
# Of T o t a l
No. S ig h ti n g s No . S ig h ti n g s
35
30
86
5
14
T m i. W. o f Lake 2
Lake 2
Lake 2
Lake 2
Lake 2
Lake 2
86
27
31
59
69
Lake 3
Lake 3
Lake 3
I m i. N. o f Lake 3
2 m l. N. o f Lake 3
89
27
30
62
TO
T o t a l S i g h t i n g s - 210
l/
S i g h ti n g s o f t r a n s p l a n t s fro m e a c h r e l e a s e s i t e w ere g ro u p e d f o r a n a l y s i s .
TABLE V I.
No. Of
1967
T ran s­
p la n ts
d
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENTIAL HOMING AMONG YEARLING CANADA GEESE.
T h e o re tic a l
D ire c t
.
R eco v ery ( $ ) V
$
Neck
C o lla r
L ossE /
T h e o r e t i c a l No.
Of G o s lin g s
S u r v iv in g W ith
Neck C o l l a r s
No.
Of B ir d s
Homing
C a lc . °fo
Of C o ll a r e d
S u r v iv o r s
Homing
68
49
15
30
O
O
68
49
15
30
13
43
C o n fi­
d en ce
L im its
A 3/
O
* . 12 5 < P f - P m< . 6 l
l / C a l c u la t e d a v e r a g e g o s l i n g k i l l i n B ro o k s, A l b e r t a a r e a fro m Ducks U n lim ite d b a n d in g
r e c o r d s o f 1955 th r o u g h 1963 i n c l u s i v e ( o m i t t i n g 1957 ) .
2 / A v erag e n eck c o l l a r l o s s r e p o r t e d b y Sherw ood ( 1966 ) .
3/ Bf = t h e p r o b a b i l i t y o f fe m a le y e a r l i n g s hom ing, Pjn = t h e p r o b a b i l i t y o f m ale
y e a r l i n g s hom ing. I n t h e s e c a l c u l a t i o n s Pm = 0 .
* 95 p e r c e n t c o n f id e n c e l i m i t s c a l c u l a t e d a c c o r d in g t o S t e e l an d T o r r i e ( i 960 ) .
-2 2 -
th ro u g h t h e s tu d y a r e a w ith a g ro u p o f unm arked g e e s e a p p a r e n t l y on a
n o rth w a rd m o lt m i g r a ti o n ( S t e r l i n g an d D zu b in , 1967 ) .
B ecau se o f i t s
tim e o f a r r i v a l and le n g t h o f s t a y o n t h e a r e a , t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h i s b i r d
a p p e a re d due t o ch an c e r a t h e r th a n a hom ing u r g e so I d i d n o t c o n s id e r i t
i n t h e f o llo w in g d i s c u s s i o n .
E le v e n (85 p e r c e n t ) o f t h e i n i t i a l s i g h t i n g s o f hom ing t r a n s p l a n t s
w ere on o r w i t h i n one m ile o f t h e la k e w here th e y w ere r e l e a s e d t h e
p r e v io u s y e a r (T a b le V ) .
T r a n s p l a n t s B lu e BU an d B lu e F8 w ere i n i t i a l l y
s i g h t e d se v e n an d tw o m ile s fro m t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e r e l e a s e s i t e s .
L a te r
o b s e r v a ti o n s c o n firm e d t h e movement o f t h e s e b i r d s b a c k t o t h e i r home l a k e s .
No m arked t r a n s p l a n t s w ere s i g h t e d by Ducks U n lim ite d p e r s o n n e l a t t h e
t r a p p i n g s i t e s i n t h e B ro o k s, A l b e r t a a r e a ( C h a r le s L acy , p e r s o n a l
c o m m u n ic a tio n ).
The s p r i n g w a te r c o n d i t i o n s on t h e s tu d y l a k e s a p p a r e n t l y i n f l u e n c e d
t h e movements o f t h e hom ing t r a n s p l a n t s r e l a t i v e t o t h e i r r e l e a s e s i t e s .
T h ro u g h o u t t h e s p r in g o b s e r v a t i o n a l p e r i o d . S tu d y L ak e s 2 an d 3 la c k e d
s e c u r e w a te r a r e a s w h ile S tu d y L ake I p o s s e s s e d a r e l a t i v e l y l a r g e , s e c u r e
w a te r b o d y .
D a ta p r e s e n t e d i n T a b le V show t h a t 86 p e r c e n t o f t h e i n i t i a l
and s u b s e q u e n t s i g h t i n g s o f hom ing t r a n s p l a n t s fro m S tu d y Lake I w ere on
o r w i t h i n one m ile o f t h i s l a k e .
O nly a b o u t 30 p e r c e n t o f a l l i n i t i a l
and s u b s e q u e n t o b s e r v a ti o n s o f t r a n s p l a n t s hom ing t o S tu d y L ak es 2 an d 3
r e s p e c t i v e l y w ere r e c o r d e d on o r w i t h i n one m ile o f t h e s e l a k e s .
The hom ing t r a n s p l a n t s a r r i v e d on t h e s tu d y a r e a o v e r a 3^ d ay p e r i o d
fro m M arch 23 t o A p r i l 25 i n c l u s i v e .
When g r a p h i c a l l y i l l u s t r a t e d i n
-2 3 -
F ig u r e 3; t h e s e d a t a show a g r e a t e r num ber o f i n i t i a l s i g h t i n g s (69 p e r c e n t )
d u r in g t h e f i r s t h a l f o f t h i s p e r i o d i n d i c a t i n g a m ore i n t e n s i v e y e a r l i n g
movement a t t h i s t i m e .
B re e d in g B e h a v io r
E le v e n (85 p e r c e n t ) o f t h e 13 hom ing y e a r l i n g fe m a le t r a n s p l a n t s
fo rm ed o b s e r v a b le p a i r b o n d s w ith unm arked g e e s e ( F ig u r e 3 ) •
N ine
(8 2 p e r c e n t) o f t h e s e p a i r f o r m a tio n s w ere made on t h e s tu d y a r e a .
T h ese
d a t a i n d i c a t e t h a t m o st fe m a le C anada g e e s e p a i r i n t h e s p r i n g o f t h e i r
f i r s t y e a r o f l i f e , a n d t h a t t h i s p a i r i n g a c t i v i t y i s m a in ly c o n f in e d t o
t h e b r e e d in g g r o u n d s .
N a y lo r (1 9 5 3 ), B alham (1 9 5 4 ), an d H anson ( 1965 )
c o n c lu d e d t h a t some p a i r i n g o f y e a r l i n g b i r d s t a k e s p l a c e on t h e b r e e d in g
g ro u n d s .
I n a d d i t i o n t o p a i r b o n d f o r m a tio n s b y y e a r l i n g s , Sherw ood ( 1967 )
fo u n d t h a t t h e n e s t i n g g ro u n d was t h e l o c a t i o n o f a l l t r u e p a i r i n g a c t i v i t y .
On May 17, tw o p r e v i o u s l y p a i r e d t r a n s p l a n t s (B lu e 16 an d B lu e H3)
w ere o b s e rv e d a s s i n g l e b i r d s .
B lu e H3 a p p e a r e d p a i r e d tw o d a y s l a t e r
b u t B lu e 16 re m a in e d u n p a ir e d f o r t h e d u r a t i o n o f i t s
a re a .
s t a y on t h e s tu d y
Such p a i r b e h a v io r in v o l v in g y e a r l i n g g e e s e h a s p r e v i o u s l y b e e n
re p o rte d .
Balham (1 9 5 4 ) , w ith r e f e r e n c e t o p a i r i n g t e n d e n c i e s o f y e a r l i n g
g e e s e , r e c o r d e d " s h o r t te r m a s s o c i a t i o n s b e tw e e n y e a r l i n g s , o r b etw ee n
y e a r l i n g s an d o l d e r g e e s e . " . S i m i l a r l y , Sherw ood ( 1967 ) fo u n d t h a t j u s t
p r i o r t o t h e i r summer m o lt, t h e l o y a l t y b e tw e e n p a i r e d y e a r l i n g s b e g a n t o
d e c lin e .
Blue C7—
Blue F8—
Blue 0 7 Blue 113Blue 0 8 -
Transplants
Blue IB Blue 8 9 Blue C9—
ro
-P-
Yellow 8 7 Blue 8 4 Blue H 8 Blue H T Yeiiow 03-
i Am ' ' * 1 ' 1 1A
I ' '' I ''
I m i I m 11A1
April
A
May
Time
F igu re 3.
'
Spring a r r iv a l and departure d a te s , and p a ir s ta tu s o f
homing y e a r lin g fem ale g e e se on th e study a rea .
m
Am
m Ami 1 1A
June
-2 5 -
B rakhag e ( l $ 6 ^ r e p o r t e d t h a t n o n b re e d in g f e m a le s w ere t o l e r a t e d by
r e s i d e n t b r e e d in g p a i r s .
I n my s tu d y , 12 o b s e r v a ti o n s w ere r e c o r d e d o f
y e a r l i n g n o n b r e e d e rs c l o s e l y a s s o c i a t i n g w ith in c u b a t i n g a d u l t fe m a le s
o r new ly h a tc h e d r e s i d e n t g o s l i n g s .
O nly one i n s t a n c e o f i n t o l e r a n c e
to w a rd a y e a r l i n g fe m a le was o b s e r v e d .
On t h i s o c c a s io n a t e r r i t o r i a l
g a n d e r e v i c t e d a y e a r l i n g when i t a p p ro a c h e d w i t h i n f i v e f e e t o f a n
in c u b a tin g g o o s e .
Tw enty dom inance d i s p l a y s w ere made by p a i r s in v o lv in g y e a r l i n g
fe m a le t r a n s p l a n t s .
S e v e n te e n (85 p e r c e n t ) o f t h e s e w ere on t h e r e l e a s e
s i t e s o f t h e f e m a le s m aking up t h e p a i r s .
S o c ia l r e la tio n s h ip s e x h ib ite d
by p a i r s t h a t in c lu d e d y e a r l i n g f e m a le s w ere s i m i l a r t o th o s e d e s c r ib e d
f o r a l l a g e c l a s s e s b y W illia m s ( 1967 ) an d H anson ( 1965 ) .
On a l l o c c a s io n s ,
p a i r s t h a t in c lu d e d y e a r l i n g f e m a le s w ere d o m in an t o v e r s i n g l e b i r d s b u t
w ere s u b o r d in a te t o o l d e r b r e e d in g p a i r s .
D om inance b e tw e e n p a i r s i n v o l v ­
in g y e a r l i n g f e m a le s a p p e a r e d t o d ep en d u p o n t h e s i z e an d a g g r e s s iv e n e s s
o f t h e r e s p e c t i v e g a n d e r s an d a l s o o n t h e e n th u s ia s m o f t h e f e m a le s
in v o lv e d .
D u rin g t h e s p r in g o b s e r v a t i o n a l p e r i o d , a d i s t i n c t r e l a t i o n s h i p
e x i s t e d among:
( l ) t h e f l o c k s i z e i n w h ich a y e a r l i n g was fo u n d , ( 2 ) t h e
p a i r s t a t u s o f t h e y e a r l i n g b i r d s in v o lv e d , a n d ( 3) t h e p h e n o lo g y o f t h e
b r e e d in g s e a s o n .
I n l a t e M arch an d e a r l y A p r i l t h e y e a r l i n g s a r r i v e d w ith
l a r g e f l o c k s o f m ig r a n t b i r d s .
F o llo w in g t h e i r a r r i v a l , th e y w ere o b s e rv e d
a s s o c i a t i n g w ith s m a l le r g ro u p s o f g e e s e on o r n e a r t h e i r home l a k e .
Once
a p a i r bond was e s t a b l i s h e d , t h e tw o b i r d s fo rm ed a s e p a r a t e u n i t , e x h i b i t i n g
- 26-
in to le ra n c e t o o th e r b ir d s in th e a r e a .
u s u a l l y a s s o c i a t e d i n s m a ll g r o u p s .
A l l o f t h e u n p a ir e d y e a r l i n g s
B rak h ag e ( 1965 ) a n d Sherw ood ( 1967 )
o b s e rv e d s i m i l a r a s s o c i a t i o n s o f s i n g l e n o n b re e d in g g e e s e .
As l a t e May
a p p ro a c h e d , s i n g l e an d p a i r e d n o n b re e d in g g e e s e g ro u p e d i n t o s m a ll f l o c k s
i n p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e i r m o lt m i g r a t i o n .
A lth o u g h i n c r e a s e d t o l e r a n c e
was e x h i b i t e d by p a i r e d n o n b r e e d e rs a t t h i s ti m e , a l l p a i r s re m a in e d a s
s u b - u n i t s w i t h i n t h e new ly fo rm ed f l o c k s .
g e e s e fro m t h e s tu d y a r e a was r a p i d .
The ex o d u s o f n o n b re e d in g
Ten (7 7 p e r c e n t ) o f t h e 13 hom ing
t r a n s p l a n t s l e f t t h e s tu d y a r e a b e tw e e n May 22 a n d May 3 1 .
te n l e f t th e a re a in th e l a s t th r e e days o f t h i s p e r io d .
F iv e o f t h e s e
No y e a r l i n g
t r a n s p l a n t s w ere p r e s e n t on t h e s tu d y a r e a a f t e r May 31 .
L a te a r r i v i n g y e a r l i n g s e i t h e r p a i r e d e a r l y o r showed p a i r e d
r e l a t i o n s h i p s when i n i t i a l l y s i g h t e d ( F ig u r e 3 ) •
A lth o u g h d i f f i c u l t t o
s u b s t a n t i a t e , t h e tim e o f a r r i v a l a n d p a i r i n g b e h a v io r e x h i b i t e d b y t h i s
segm ent o f t h e t r a n s p l a n t p o p u l a t i o n s u g g e s ts t h a t l o c a l d i f f e r e n c e s i n
m i g r a t i o n a l p a t t e r n s may e x i s t .
F a ll A c tiv itie s
On A u g u st 2 3 , 1968 B lu e CJ was s i g h t e d on S tu d y L ake 2 , t h e la k e w here
i t was r e l e a s e d i n t h e summer o f 1967 .
T h is b i r d h a d r e t u r n e d t o i t s home
la k e a p p a r e n t l y f o llo w in g a m o lt m i g r a t i o n o u t o f t h e s tu d y a r e a .
a d d i t i o n a l o b s e r v a ti o n s w ere made o f B lu e C J i n t h e same a r e a .
Two
The
r e t u r n o f y e a r l i n g s t o t h e i r n a t a l l a k e f o llo w in g a summer m o lt was a l s o
r e c o r d e d b y Sherw ood ( 1967 ) .
-2 7 -
B lue CT l e f t t h e s tu d y a r e a f o r t h e m o lt m i g r a t i o n on May 2 8 , 1968 .
A t t h i s tim e i t was a p a i r e d y e a r l i n g .
A l l o b s e r v a ti o n s o f t h i s b i r d i n
l a t e A u g u st s u g g e s te d t h a t i t was no lo n g e r p a i r e d .
The p a i r bond fo rm ed
d u r in g t h e s p r in g o f 1968 h a d a p p a r e n t l y b e e n b ro k e n on t h e m o ltin g
g ro u n d s .
CONCLUSIONS
The p r im a r y o b j e c t i v e o f m i g r a to r y w a te r f o w l t r a n s p l a n t p ro g ram s
i s t o in t r o d u c e o r r e i n t r o d u c e b r e e d in g p o p u la tio n s o f a d e s i r e d s p e c i e s
in to a s p e c if ic lo c a tio n .
The s u c c e s s o f su c h p ro g ra m s d e p e n d s on t h e
homing b e h a v io r o f t h e s p e c i e s in v o l v e d .
The t r a n s p l a n t p ro g ra m a tte m p te d i n t h i s s tu d y v e r i f i e d t h e hom ing
o f y e a r l i n g fe m a le C anada g e e s e t o t h e s i t e s w h ere th e y w ere r e l e a s e d a s
g o s lin g s .
T h ese r e s u l t s i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e hom ing b e h a v io r o f C anada
g e e s e i s a le a r n e d r e s p o n s e an d n o t i n n a t e i n i t s o r i g i n .
I f th e l a t t e r
w ere t r u e , t h e g e e s e w ould h av e homed t o t h e i r t r u e n a t a l a r e a .
It
a p p e a r s t h a t fe m a le C anada g e e s e home t o t h e s p e c i f i c s i t e w h ere t h e y
le a r n to f l y as g o s lin g s .
McCabe (1 9 4 7 ) n o te d s i m i l a r hom ing b e h a v io r
among fe m a le wood d u ck s (A ix s p o n s a ) .
A lth o u g h t h e m o r t a l i t y o f t r a n s p l a n t s p r i o r t o f l i g h t a p p e a r e d
s l i g h t l y lo w e r on r e l e a s e s i t e s o c c u p ie d by r e s i d e n t g e e s e , t h e
l o c a l i z e d p o s t f l i g h t m ovem ents o f t h e s e g e e s e a s a u n i t may h a v e b e e n
d e trim e n ta l t o t h e i r s u r v iv a l.
The h e a v y h u n tin g p r e s s u r e n o r m a lly fo u n d
on t h e a r e a d u r in g t h e e a r l y f a l l c o u p le d w ith t h e p r e d i c t a b l e b e h a v io r
o f t h e s e b i r d s , p r o b a b ly r e s u l t e d i n a h ig h l o c a l k i l l .
T h is may a c c o u n t
f o r t h e s m a ll num ber o f hom ing g e e s e o b s e rv e d o n S tu d y Lake I .
C o n v e rs e ly ,
t h e im m ed iate d i s p e r s a l fro m t h e s tu d y a r e a b y s m a ll g ro u p s o f t r a n s p l a n t s
fro m r e l e a s e s i t e s n o t o c c u p ie d b y r e s i d e n t s may h a v e b e e n o f some s u r v i v a l
v a lu e t o th e s e b ir d s .
MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
(1 )
G o s lin g t r a n s p l a n t p ro g ra m s s h o u ld l e a n h e a v i l y to w a rd f e m a l e s .
(2 )
S ev en a n d e i g h t w e e k -o ld g o s l i n g s a p p e a r t o be a d e s i r a b l e ag e
g ro u p t o u s e f o r t r a n s p l a n t p u r p o s e s .
( 3)
The t r a n s p l a n t r e l e a s e s i t e s s h o u ld b e c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a
s e c u r e open w a te r body an d a n ab u n d an ce o f a v a i l a b l e v e g e t a t i o n .
(U)
N e s tin g h a b i t a t s h o u ld be a v a i l a b l e a t t h e r e l e a s e s i t e s .
-3 0 -
APEEEDIX
TABLE I I I .
DAILY EKEFLIGHT ACTIVITY OF TRANSPLANTED GOSLINGS
M orning
P rio r
To
S u n r is e
M in.
O b serv ed
«5
S u n r is e
S u n r is e +
S u n r is e +
l / 2h r . - l h r .
I h r . - l l / 2h r s .
M in.
M in.
O b serv ed * O b serv ed %
100
ti l
180
220
74
0
6
52
17
13
0
30
26
9
13
S u n r is e
+ l/2 h r.
M in.
O b se rv ed $
298
I
A fte r
S unset
S u n set S unset
M in.
M in.
O
b
serv ed +
O b serv ed #
f
501
84 100
76
273
0
16
71
12
59
21
4
8
0
29
361
593
P r e e n in g ,
R e s tin g
R e s tin g
B a th in g ,
F e e d in g _________ On Land_________ On W ater_________ a n d / o r D rin k in g
M in u te s O b se rv ed
3^57
913
Il!? 2+
553
P e r c e n t O b serv ed
$8
14
18
10
________ T o t a l = 6609 m in u te s o f m idday o b s e r v a ti o n s
T o t a l P r e f l i g h t O b s e r v a tio n s = 99Q9 m in u te s ( a p p r o x . 16$ h r s . )
I / I n d i c a t e s p e r c e n t o f t r a n s p l a n t s p e r f o r m in g t h e a c t i v i t y .
2 / The com bined a c t i v i t y o f P r e e n in g , B a th in g , a n d / o r D rin k in g .
-3 1 -
A c tiv ity
s ti/
%
F e e d in g
til
192
100
R e s tin g
20
0
0
19
P .B .D .2 /
0
0
0
0
223
S u b t o t a l s 105
192
T o t a l = 1099 m in u te s o f m o rn in g o b s e r v a ti o n s
E v en in g
I l/2 h r s .- lh r .
lh r .- l/2 h r e
2 h r s . - l l/2 h : C S .
B e fo re
B e fo re
B e fo re
S unset
S unset
S unset
M in.
M in.
M in.
O b se rv ed
A c t i v i t y O b serv ed t
O b serv ed $
270
64
ti l
F e e d in g
230
58
334
64
R e s tin g
126
29
34
15
135
4
P .B .D .
8
32
17
31
7
S u b t o t a l s 397
415
435
T o t a l = 2201 m in u te s o f e v e n in g o b s e r v a ti o n s
Midday-
S u n r is e +
I l / 2 h r s . - 2h r s .
Min,
O b serv ed io
194
69
21
60
10
27
28 l
LITERATURE CITED
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i n M a n ito b a . P h .D . T h e s i s , U n iv . o f M is s o u r i , C o lu m b ia . 2 2 9 P P •
Boyd, H. 1953« On e n c o u n te r s b e tw e e n w ild w h i t e - f r o n t e d g e e s e i n w in te r
f l o c k s . B e h a v io r 5 ( 2 ) :8 5 -1 0 9 .
B rak h ag e , G. K. 1965 . B io lo g y an d b e h a v io r o f t u b - n e s t i n g C anada
g e e s e . J . W i l d l . Mgmt. 2 9 ( 4 ) :7 5 1 -7 7 1 .
C o u p lan d , R. T . 1 9 5 0 . E c o lo g y o f m ixed p r a i r i e i n C an ad a.
M onographs 2 0 ( 4 ) :2 7 1 - 3 1 5 .
E c o l.
E a r l , J . P . 19 5 0 . P r o d u c tio n o f m a lla r d s o n i r r i g a t e d la n d i n t h e
S acram en to V a ll e y , C a l i f o r n i a . J . W i l d l . Mgmt. 1 4 ( 3 ) :3 3 2 - 3 4 2 .
F o le y , D. D ., D. B enson, L . W. D e G ra ff, an d E . R. Holm. 1961 . W a te rfo w l s to c k in g i n New Y o rk . New Y ork F is h an d Game J . 1 ( 8 ) :3 7 - 4 8 .
G e ls , M. B. 1 9 5 6 . P r o d u c t i v i t y o f C anada g e e s e i n t h e F l a t h e a d V a ll e y ,
M ontana. J . W l l d l . Mgmt. 2 0 ( 4 ) : 4 0 9 - 4 l 9 .
G lo v e r, F . A. 1 9 5 6 . N e s tin g a n d p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e b lu e -w in g e d t e a l
(Anas d i s c o r s ) i n n o r th w e s t Io w a. J . W i l d l . Mgmt. 2 0 ( I ) :2 8 - 4 6 .
H anson, H. C, 1 9 6 2 . C h a r a c te r s o f a g e , s e x , a n d s e x u a l m a t u r i t y i n
Canada g e e s e . I l l i n o i s N a t. H i s t . S u rv ey B i o l . N o te s 4 9 , 15 P P .
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J o h n s g a rd , P . A. 1965 . H andbook o f w a te r f o w l b e h a v i o r .
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C o rn e ll
J o h n s o n , C. S . 1 9 4 7 , C anada g o o s e m anagem ent, S en ey N a t i o n a l W i l d l i f e
R e fu g e . J . W i l d l . Mgmfc. l l ( l ) : 2 1 - 2 4 .
K e ith , L . B. 1961 . A s tu d y o f w a te r f o w l e c o lo g y o n s m a ll im poundm ents
i n s o u t h e a s t e r n A l b e r t a . W i l d l . M onographs 6 . 88 p p .
K o ssack , C. W. 1 9 5 0 . B re e d in g h a b i t s o f C anada g e e s e u n d e r r e f u g e
c o n d i t i o n s . Am. M id la n d N a t u r a l i s t 43 ( 3 ) :6 2 7 -6 4 9 .
Low, J . B. 19 4 5 . E c o lo g y and m anagem ent o f t h e re d h e a d ( N y ro ca
a m e ric a n a ) i n Io w a. E c o l . M onographs 1 5 ( l ) : 3 5 -6 9 .
M acInnes , C. D. 1962 . N e s tin g o f s m a ll C anada g e e s e n e a r Eskim o P o i n t ,
N o rth w e st T e r r i t o r i e s . J . W i l d l . Mgmfc. 26 ( 3 ) :2 4 7 - 2 5 6 .
-3 3 -
May r , E . 1 9 ^ 2 . S y s te m a tic a an d t h e o r i g i n o f s p e c i e s .
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C olum bia
McCabe, R. A. 1 9 ^ 7 . The hom ing o f t r a n s p l a n t e d young wood d u c k s .
W ilso n B u l l . 5 9 ( 2 ) :1 0 4 - 1 0 9 .
M i l l e r , A. W., an d B. D. C o l l i n s . 1 9 5 4 . A n e s t i n g s tu d y o f d u c k s an d
c o o ts on T u le Lake an d Low er K lam ath N a t i o n a l W i l d l i f e R e fu g e s .
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N a y lo r, A. E . 1 9 5 3 . P r o d u c tio n o f t h e C anada g o o s e on Honey Lake
R e fu g e , L a s s e n C o u n ty , C a l i f o r n i a . C a l i f o r n i a F is h an d Game
3 9 (l):8 3 -9 4 .
N e ls o n , H. K. 1963 . R e s t o r a t i o n o f b r e e d in g C anada g o o se f l o c k s
i n t h e n o r th c e n t r a l s t a t e s . N. Am. W i l d l . a n d N a t. R e s o u rc e s
C o n f. T r a n s . 2 8 :1 3 3 -1 5 0 .
P h i l l i p s , J . C. 1928 , W ild b i r d s in t r o d u c e d o r t r a n s p l a n t e d i n
N o rth A m e ric a . U n ite d S t a t e s D e p t, o f A g r. T e c h . B u l l . 6 l : 8 .
P i r n i e , M. D. 19 3 8 . R e s to c k in g o f t h e C anada g o o se s u c c e s s f u l i n
s o u th e r n M ic h ig a n . N. Am. W i l d l . C o n f. T r a n s . 3 :6 2 4 -6 2 7 .
R y d er, J . P . 1967 . The b r e e d in g b io l o g y o f R o s s ' g o o s e i n t h e P e r r y
R iv e r r e g io n , N o rth w e s t T e r r i t o r i e s . C a n a d ia n W i l d l . S e r v . R e p t .
S e r . 3 , 56 p p .
Sherw ood, G. A . 1966 . F l e x i b l e p l a s t i c c o l l a r s com pared t o n a s a l d i s c s
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. 1 9 6 7 . B e h a v io r o f f a m ily g ro u p s o f C anada g e e s e .
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N. Am. W i l d l .
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S t e r l i n g , T . , an d A. D z u b in . 1967 . C anada g o o s e m o lt m i g r a ti o n s t o t h e
N o rth w e s t T e r r i t o r i e s . N. Am. W i l d l . a n d N a t. R e s o u rc e s C o n f. T r a n s .
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-3 4 -
W illia m s , C. S . , an d E . R. K alm back. 1 9 4 3 . M ig r a tio n a n d f a t e o f t r a n s ­
p o r t e d j u v e n i l e w a te r f o w l. J . W i l d l . Mgmt. 7 ( 2 ) : l 6 3 - l 6 9 .
, an d W. H. M a r s h a ll.
B ear R iv e r R e fu g e , U ta h .
1 9 3 8 . S u r v i v a l o f C anada g o o s e g o s l i n g s .
J . W i l d l . Mgmt. 2 ( l ) : 1 7 - 1 9 .
W y a tt, F . A ., et_ aJL 1 9 3 8 -1 9 4 3 . S o i l s u r v e y r e p o r t s . U n iv . o f A l b e r t a ,
Edm onton. C o l l , o f A g r. B u l l s . 31, 32, 36, 39, 4 0 .
Yocum, C. F . , an d S . W. H a r r i s .
f o r C anada g o o se g o s l i n g s .
1965 . Plum age d e s c r i p t i o n s an d a g e d a t a
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