TABLE 12. Mean distances moved by age and sex classes of Canada geese marked with 

 plastic neck collars between time of capture in 1975 and beginning of the brood- 

 rearing and flightless period, 1976. 



CONVERSIONS: 1 km = .622 mi 



a Adult: a bird believed to be in its second year after hatching. 

 Subadult: a bird in its first year after hatching. 

 Juvenile: a bird in its year of hatching. 



Obtained by plotting all observation points on a map and measuring the 

 longest distance across the area formed by connecting the points. 



Loafing sites utilized by geese during this period were often the ones frequented 

 by geese at other times of the year, probably as a result of habitual feeding in 

 a nearby field. From the loafing area geese flew to the feeding field twice 

 daily, around sunrise and sunset. Length of time spent in the field varied 

 from a few minutes to several hours, depending on weather, food availability, 

 and disturbances. Geese fed in a given field longer during periods of cool, 

 rainy weather and when no disturbances were present. Field-feeding periods 

 were generally shorter in the evening. The time of departure of the field- 

 feeding flights from the river appeared to depend on light intensity. Raveling 

 et al . (1972) also believed morning and evening feeding flights of Canada geese 

 to feeding fields were related to light intensity. Wind and temperature were 

 believed to be less important in their effect on time of departure of flocks 

 from the river. A field-feeding pattern, once developed, continued for several 

 days until geese moved to another field. 



Fields utilized by feeding geese were usually of sufficient size to allow 

 the geese complete visibility around themselves for at least 30 m (100 ft). 

 Smaller fields, even of favorite crop types, were avoided, especially those 

 surrounded by dense vegetation, as reported by Sturdy (1967). Field 

 characteristics described by Grieb (1970) as attractive to field-feeding short- 



?rass prairie geese in Colorado were also attractive in most instances to 

 ield-feeding geese in the Yellowstone Valley during early fall. 



41 



