The few flocks that winter south of the rice belt 

 occupy low marsh ridges and cheniers that are grazed 

 by cattle (Lynch 1967). 



Breeding flocks of resident Canada geese have been 

 established at several locations on the Chenier Plain. A 

 flock at Rockefeller Refuge contains about 2,000 birds 

 and annual production is about 600 young. Geese from 

 this flock have moved to new areas and nesting birds 

 have been observed as far as 65 km (40 mi) from the 

 refuge. Egg predation, mainly by raccoons, appears to 

 be a limiting factor (Chabreck et al. 1974a). 



5.3.37 WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE (Anser tdbifrons) 



The white-fronted goose is an early migrant to the 

 Chenier Plain. A few birds begin arriving in late 

 September, but the majority do not arrive until mid- 

 October. The white-fronted goose is typically a bird of 

 western flyways, and the Chenier Plain is on the east- 

 ern edge of its range (Smith 1961). Prior to 1952, most 

 birds on the Chenier Plain occupied the Texas portion 

 of the area and fewer than 3,000 were found in Louisi- 

 ana. The species gradually began an eastward shift, and 

 by 1959 the wintering population in Louisiana had 

 increased to 12,000 birds; by 1975 the population had 

 increased to 50,000 (Smith 1961, Bateman 1975a). 

 Spring migration from the Chenier Plain begins in early 

 March, and most birds depart by late March (Smith 

 1961). 



At one time, white-fronted geese on the Chenier 

 Plain were considered "marsh geese". They fed almost 

 entirely in shallow marshes along the landward edges of 

 coastal lagoons and in "sea rim" marshes adjacent to 

 beaches. Feeding areas in marsh habitats have now 

 been largely abandoned in favor of agricultural lands 

 (Lynch 1967). The geese often rest in shallow fresh 

 marshes adjacent to the coastal prairie and make 

 frequent flights into rice fields and pastures to feed. 

 Some geese spend the entire winter in agricultural areas. 

 Major concentrations are found near the Gulf in former 

 wetland habitats which have been leveed, drained, and 

 turned into pasture. 



White-fronted geese in agricultural habitats usually 

 eat rice, but they also graze on the succulent parts of 

 green plants growing in rice fields and pastures. Seeds 

 seem to be preferred, but stems and blades of marsh 

 grasses also are eaten (Glazener 1946). 



White-fronted geese breed north of the Arctic 

 Circle. Paired geese remain together for life and the 

 male assists in rearing the young. 



5.3.38 LESSER SNOW GOOSE (Chen caerulescens) 



Althougli white and blue phases of the lesser snow 

 goose occur on the Chenier Plain in about equal 

 numbers, the blue phase outnumbers the white phase 

 by 5:1 in all of Louisiana. The ratio is reversed in 

 Texas (Smithey 1973). Historically, most of the indi- 

 viduals arrived in the Chenier Plain during the last 2 

 weeks of October, but recent studies indicate that birds 

 arc deviating from this pattern and many flocks do not 

 arrive until December (Smithey 1973). 



Lesser snow geese move about considerably on the 

 wintering grounds. Although large flocks of several 

 thousand birds may remain in one general area 

 throughout the winter, small groups and family units 

 frequently move from flock to flock and show little 

 respect for flock integrity (Schroer and Chabreck 

 1974). The main migration of lesser snow geese from 

 the Chenier Plain begins in mid-February, and by late 

 March most have departed. 



Historically, the lesser snow goose wintered in 

 coastal lagoons and brackish marshes. Within the past 

 few decades, however, many geese have abandoned the 

 coastal marshes, and now winter in rice fields and 

 pastures. This trend first developed in Texas but is now 

 evident throughout the Chenier Plain (Lynch 1967). 



The traditional food of the lesser snow goose is 

 Olney's three-cornered grass. Periodic marsh burning 

 has perpetuated the grass and added new feeding areas 

 for the geese. They also feed on saltmeadow cordgrass 

 and saltgrass that grow in association with three-corner 

 grass. The birds are classified as "grubbers" that uproot 

 and eat rhizomes and other tender parts of marsh 

 plants (Glazener 1946, Lynch 1967). 



In coastal farmlands geese display a different feed- 

 ing behavior by resorting almost entirely to grazing on 

 sprouted rice, spikerush, and other green plants in rice 

 fields and pastures. Considerable controversy arose 

 when the lesser snow goose shifted to the coastal 

 prairie. The birds there began to destructively feed on 

 winter ryegrass. The extension of the goose hunting 

 season into February largely eliminated this problem 

 (Linscombe 1972). 



Snow geese nest in the far north, mostly on Baffin 

 Island, Southampton Island, and along the western and 

 southern shores of Hudson Bay. Once paired, the birds 

 remain together for life (Bellrose 1974, Smithey 1973). 



5.3.39 FULVOUS TREE-DUCK (Dendrocygna 

 bkolor) 



Fulvous tree-ducks are summer residents of the 

 Chenier Plain. They begin arriving from wintering areas 

 in Mexico during March, but the greatest influx takes 

 place in mid-April. Upon arrival in the Chenier Plain, 

 they concentrate in the fresh marshes and remain there 

 for several weeks before dispersing into rice fields and 

 pastures for nesting (McCartney 1963). 



During late summer the birds begin forming flocks 

 which gradually increase in size. These flocks feed in 

 rice fields and cause some depredation. They begin 

 departing from the breeding area in September and 

 again concentrate in the fresh marshes. In October they 

 depart for wintering areas in Mexico. By mid-Novem- 

 ber the fall migration is nearly completed (Smith 1961, 

 McCartney 1963). 



Fulvous tree-ducks use fresh marshes for only a 

 brief period after their spring arrival and before their 

 fall departure. During this time they occupy shallow 



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