DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS: family Anatidae [ 12.5 ] 



April. While in western Oregon, the species frequents the lakes on 

 Government and Sauvies Islands in the Columbia River as well as the 

 grainfields of the Willamette Valley. It also occurs to some extent on the 

 coast, though sight records might easily be confused with the White- 

 cheeked Goose, to which form at least part of the early coastal records 

 undoubtedly apply. 



White-cheeked Goose: 



Branta canadensis occidentalis (Baird) 



DESCRIPTION. "Like canadensis, but under parts darker, white cheek patches usually 

 separated by black on throat; lower part of neck with a more or less distinct collar." 

 (Bailey) Downy young: "The central crown patch and the upper parts of the body 

 are lustrous 'brownish olive,' darkest on the head and rump; the lores are washed or 

 striped with the same dark color, which surrounds the eye and extends in a post- 

 ocular stripe down the neck; the under parts, including the forehead and the sides of 

 the head and the neck, are dull yellowish or 'colonial buff,' washed on the sides of 

 the head and neck with 'honey yellow' or 'yellow ocher,' paling on the belly and 

 flanks to 'ivory yellow' and deepening on the breast to 'deep colonial buff'." (Bent) 

 Size: "Length 35, wing i6.i5~i8.oo, bill 1.40-1.65." (Bailey) Nest: A depression, 

 lined with moss and down. Eggs: About 5, dull white, almost exactly like those of 

 the Common Canada Goose. 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds along Alaska coast from Prince William Sound to 

 Queen Charlotte Island and British Columbia. In Oregon: Winter visitor along 

 coast, straggling inland, at least occasionally, to Willamette Valley. 



THE BIG dark-colored White-cheeked Goose breeds on the coast of Alaska 

 and British Columbia and remains there through the winter to a large 

 extent. There are two Oregon skins in the Jewett collection the first 

 taken at Netarts Bay (November 2.7, 1914), the second at McMinnville 

 (November 15, 1931) that match breeding birds from the Alaska coast, 

 and we have occasionally seen big, dark geese, particularly in Tillamook 

 and Lincoln Counties, that most probably are this form. Every winter 

 on the Oregon coast as far south as Curry County, small flocks of geese 

 appear that show a decided fondness for the offshore rocks, alighting on 

 them and staying well out to sea, except during severe storms. The 

 gunners along the coast know them as "honkers," but all that we have 

 seen or had described to us have been much too dark for canadensis and 

 are most probably this subspecies. 



Lesser Canada Goose: 



Branta canadensis leucopareia (Brandt) 



DESCRIPTION. A medium-sized goose, with a light breast and underbody, bill 

 shorter for its depth and feet smaller in proportion to the tarsus than in canadensis. 

 Si%e: Wing 14.90-17.45, bill 1.40-1.69, tarsus 3.06. Nest and eggs: As in canadensis. 

 DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds on Arctic Coast from Alaska to Southampton Island. 

 Winters from Washington to northern Mexico. In Oregon: Migrant and winter resi- 

 dent, appearing in October and remaining until April. 



