
136 
Canada Goose Production 
For the sixth consecutive year an inventory of the island nesting 
habitat of the basin Canada goose on the Columbia and Snake River systems of 
south-central Washington was undertaken. The study area embraces 265 miles 
of river and is divided into five separate units, each requiring individual 
evaluation. Unit I, a 45 mile section of the Columbia River bisecting the Hanford 
AEC Reservation, is utilized as a more intensive study area. In 1955, 253 
goose nests were followed to completion in the area. 
The breeding pair population of the river system showed an average 
of 3.78 breeding pairs per mile of river in 1955, which is a slight increase over 
1954 (Table IV). The additional pairs were found on the Columbia River units. 
Most encouraging was the larger number of pairs found in the portion of the 
Columbia River included in the McNary Reservoir (Unit II). With the formation 
of the McNary pool late in 1953, 22 islands of nesting importance to Canada geese 
were inundated. Although new islands were created, they were small and few in 
number. The majority of the resident geese were expected to shift to other 
sections of the river for nesting. Few left, however, and large resident flocks 
appeared in the pool area. In 1955 more breeding pairs were found, most of 
them utilizing the peninsulas and dikes of the McNary Game Range for nesting. 
Apparently the nesting population of this once important area is being revived, 
although the new habitat is not expected to fully compensate for what was lost. 
Table IV. - Canada Goose Population Density in South-Central Washington, 
1952 - 1955, 


Total Miles Pairs of Geese 
of River River Miles Inventoried (Avg. Per River-Mile) 
Areas * Habitat 1952 1953 1954 1955 1952 1953 1954 1955 
Unit I 40 40 40 40 40 211 304 299 346 
(7.8) (7.6) (7.5) (8.7) 
Unit Il 47 38 38 47 47 139 129 99 105 
(3.7) (3.4) (2.1) (2.3) 
Unit III 92 65 10 50 42 303 49 213 184 
(4.7) (4.9) (4.2) (4.4) 
Unit IV 35 35 35 35 35 91 99 110 88 
(2.6) (2.8) (3.1) (2.5) 
Unit V 51 - - 41 41 - - 48 40 
(1.2) (1.0) 
Total 265 178 123 213 205 844 578 769 763 
(4.7) (4.7) (3.6) (3.8) 

* Units I, I1, III are on Columbia River; Units IV & V areon 
Snake River. e 
