ROSS ' GOOSE 

 ( Chen rossii ) 



[FR: Oie de Ross, GE: Zwergschneegans, SP: Ansar de Ross, Ganso de Ross] 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION 



Ross' Geese breed in North America primarily in the Perry River region 

 south of Queen Maud Gulf in the Northwest Territories (Palmer 1976a, Johnsgard 

 1978). They have also been found breeding on the Boas River, Southampton Is- 

 land and near the mouth of the McConnell River, N.W.T. (Bellrose 1976). Bell- 

 rose (1976) reported that the average February population for the period 1956- 

 74 was 23,400. 



These geese winter chiefly in central California (Johnsgard 1978), with 

 small but inceasing numbers wintering along the central Gulf in recent years. 

 Prevett and Maclnnes (1972) estimated that the wintering population in Louisiana 

 was 127, 178, and 167 in 1968, 1969, and 1970, respectively, and they believed 

 that several hundred more wintered along the Texas Gulf coast. Elsewhere in 

 the southeast, Ross' Goose is a very rare to accidental visitor and has been 

 reported only in North Carolina. We know of five records from that state 

 (Buckley 1969; Teulings 1971b, 1971c, 1972b, 1976b; E. K. LeGrand 1972) but 

 these may not involve more than three individuals. 



SUSCEPTIBILITY TO OIL POLLUTION 



We have found no records of specific instances of oiling of Ross' Goose, 

 which is one of the least coastal geese in winter. It is probably one of the 

 least vulnerable species in the southeastern area, because of its terrestrial 

 habits and because of the small (but increasing) numbers that winter there. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



1980 



Krehbiel, A. J. 1980. Ross's Goose in northeastern New Mexico. Bull. Okla . 

 Ornithol. Soc . 13: 28-29. 



1979 



Kaufman, K., J. Witzman and E. Cook. 1979. Pinning down the Blue Ross' Goose, 

 Continental Birdlife 1: 112-115. 



Taxonomic note: 

 (1954). 



The genus Chen is often included in Anser , following Delacour 



89 



