Aleutian Cackling Goose

Description:

The Aleutian Cackling Goose has the typical black head and neck, white cheek patches, grayish brown back and wings, white rump, black tail feathers, legs, and feet of the species. It is distinguished by a conspicuous white neck ring at the base of the neck that, in adult plumage, is usually greater than 10 mm wide and is subtended by a ring of darker feathers. The cheek patches are usually separated by a black line under the throat and the breast is a pale grayish-brown color, although a small number of lighter and darker breasted birds occur.

Habitat:

I saw this in a local pond which has many migratory birds.

Notes:

Success Story: With a spectacular comeback from about 300 birds to more than 120,000, the Aleutian cackling goose was saved from extinction. It took over 30 years of work by the Refuge, other Fish and Wildlife Service staff, and cooperators along its west coast migration route from Canada to California to save this bird and bring it off the Endangered Species List. http://alaskamaritime.fws.gov/whatwedo/b...