D. W. Woolington unpubl. ms.). The main food 

 during the breeding season on Buldir Island is 

 sedge (Carex sp.) and red fescue [Festuca rubra) 

 (Byrd and Springer 1976). 



At the northwestern California spring migra- 

 tion staging area, geese feed on fescue [Festuca 

 dertonensis), velvet grass (Holcus sp.), plantain 

 (Plantago major) and other plants (Byrd and 

 Springer 1976). 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



Flightless young and molting birds are hidden 

 by over 1-m-taIl rye grass {Elymus arenarius) and 

 umbelliferous plants [Heracleum lanatum and 

 Angelica lucida) on Buldir Island (Byrd and 

 Springer 1976). 



NESTING AND BEDDING 



On Agattu, nests were composed of dead 

 grass and a few feathers carelessly arranged (Tur- 

 ner 1886), plus large masses of light drab or dark 

 gray down mixed with whitish down, numerous 

 breast feathers and bits of straw (Bent 1925). On 

 Buldir Island, the geese place nests on steep slopes 

 under tall vegetation, mostly ryegrass (Byrd and 

 Springer 1976, G. V. Byrd and D. W. Woolington 

 unpubl. ms.). 



RITUAL REQUIREMENTS 



None Recorded. 



OTHER CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL 

 REQUIREMENTS 



None known other than protection from pre- 

 dation by introduced Arctic Foxes on breeding 

 grounds and excessive hunting and disease on 

 migration and wintering areas. 



POPULATION NUMBERS AND TRENDS 



Aleutian Canada geese formerly reared young 

 in considerable numbers on the western Aleutian 

 Islands and were domesticated by the natives 

 (Nelson 1883; Turner 1886). They were the most 

 abundant birds on Agattu, breeding by the thou- 

 sands (Clark 1910); they were also common mi- 

 grants throughout the Aleutian Islands area, nest- 

 ing on many of the islands. Populations appeared 

 greatly reduced by the 1936, 1937, and 1938 ob- 

 servations, as the species had disappeared from 

 most of the islands and only a few pairs remained 



anywhere (Murie 1959). On Amchitka, the 7 seen 

 on 27 June and 2 on 5 July 1961 were the last 

 observed on any Aleutian Island prior to their re- 

 discovery on Buldir Qones 1963). The last birds 

 were recorded on the Commander Islands in 1914 

 Qohansen 1961). 



In 1977 an estimated 170 breeding pairs (340 

 birds) and an undetermined number of non- 

 breeders were located on Buldir Island (G. V. 

 Byrd and D. W. Woolington unpubl. ms.). 



A flock believed to be almost all Aleutian 

 Canada geese at Crescent City in northwestern 

 California peaked at 790 in mid-April 1975, at 

 about 900 in late March 1976, and at 1150 in 

 the spring of 1977 (Byrd and Springer 1976, 

 Springer et al. 1978). This indicates a total popula- 

 tion more than double the number of breeding 

 birds on Buldir. It also indicates an increase from 

 1976 to 1977. The fall population in 1977 was 

 1600 (D. W. Woolington et al. unpubl. ms.). 



REPRODUCTION 



Turner (1886) said clutches of eggs of Aleutian 

 Island geese vary from 7 to 13; Byrd and Springer 

 (1976) noted that Buldir Island geese averaged 

 about six eggs, laid in late May or early June. In- 

 cubation was 27-28 days, with over 80% of the 

 nests hatching young. Glaucous-winged gulls eat 

 some eggs and bald eagles take a few birds, but pre- 

 dation apparently is not severe (Byrd and Springer 

 1976). Turner (1886) noted that parent birds 

 complete their molt by 20 August, at which time 

 young are able to fly. G. V. Byrd and D. W. Wool- 

 ington (unpubl. ms.) made similar observations on 

 Buldir. Turner (1886) noted that a heavy snowfall 

 in the latter part of June on Agattu and Semichi 

 covered the ground to 3 ft (0.91 m), and incubat- 

 ing geese were found dead after the snow melted. 



MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION 



The Recovery Team prepared a plan with 4 

 objectives: 1) prepare habitat for goose reintro- 

 duction by removing fox; 2) produce adequate 

 release stock of geese in captivity; 3) acclimatize 

 and release birds and monitor results; 4) study 

 and protect the wild birds (Byrd and Springer 

 1976). 



Control of foxes, begun by Robert D. Jones, 

 Jr. in the late 1940's, resulted in their complete 

 elimination from Amchitka. To safeguard reintro- 

 duced geese, 3 areas were selected for fox removal, 



