The small cackling goose (''Branta hutchinsii minima''), also known as the Ridgway's goose, is the smallest

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

cackling goose The cackling goose (''Branta hutchinsii'') is a species of goose found in North America. Description The black head and neck with white "chinstrap" distinguish this goose from all other geese except the larger Canada goose (''Branta canadensis'' ...

and the smallest variant of white-cheeked goose.

Description

''Ridgway’s geese'' are the smallest of the white cheeked geese and the second smallest goose in the genus

Branta The black geese of the genus ''Branta'' are waterfowl belonging to the true geese and swans subfamily Anserinae. They occur in the northern coastal regions of the Palearctic and all over North America, migrating to more southernly coasts in wi ...

, following the

red-breasted goose The red-breasted goose (''Branta ruficollis'') is a brightly marked species of goose in the genus ''Branta'' from Eurasia. It is currently classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. Taxonomy and etymology The red-breasted goose is sometimes placed ...

. It is only slightly larger than a

mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...

and has a culmen (bill) length of 32 mm. The small cackling goose’s

calls Call or Calls may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games * Call, a type of betting in poker * Call, in the game of contract bridge, a bid, pass, double, or redouble in the bidding stage Music and dance * Call (band), from Lahore, Paki ...

are described as high pitched yelps. In flight, it can be identified by its fast wingbeat, in contrast to Canada geese and the larger subspecies of cackling geese.

Distribution

Small cackling geese are known to

summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

in western Alaska, and winter in the Willamette Valley. It has also been known to occur in California and southern Washington.

References

* http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/waterfowl/goose-permits/docs/Goosefieldguide_2ndEdition_final.pdf *http://eol.org/pages/1274552/overview *http://www.utahbirds.org/RecCom/IDhelp/Cackling_Goose-NAB.pdf {{Taxonbar, from=Q27600994 Branta Taxa named by Robert Ridgway