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Re: Cackling Geese?

From:

Phil Davis

Reply-To:

Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Fri, 1 Oct 2004 00:07:03 -0400

All:

Since the MOS follows the AOU for taxonomy ... and since the AOU stated
that it follows Delacour (1958) for the names and descriptions of this
Cackling/Canada Goose complex, I think the proper nomenclature for the
expected Cackling Goose taxa in our region should be "Richardson's"
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii). The MD/DC Records Committee
has been using subspecies names in parentheses, preceding the species name,
such as "Gambell's" White-crowned Sparrow, "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped
Warbler, "Sennett's" Common Nighthawk (got you on that one, eh?).
Unfortunately, there is no good parallel for the B. h. minima subspecies,
since Delacour calls it "Cackling Goose" ... that would make the "Cackling"
Cackling Goose. I am unaware of any other common name for the minima
subspecies. I personally favor calling it "Bailey's" Canada Goose in honor
of Alfred M. Bailey who was one of the first to describe this form which
breeds on the southwestern Alaskan coast around the Y-K delta.

By the way ... Cackling Goose now proceeds Canada Goose in the new
taxonomic order.

By the by the way [?] ... I had checked with Mary Gustafson at the Bird
Banding Lab ... "CACG" is the 4-letter banding code for Cackling Goose. I
presumed that CAGO would still be used for Canada Goose, but I don't know
that for sure.

Phil Davis


At 19:16 09/29/2004 -0400, Bob Ringler wrote:
>    In the 7th Edition of the AOU Checklist the note under Canada Goose
> suggested that the name for the small races if split as a separate
> species would be Tundra Goose.  Unfortunately the AOU Checklist Committee
> did not follow through on this more logical name.  Perhaps its choice of
> Cackling Goose indicates the intention of further splits and creating a
> new name would not be necessary.  There is still the possibility that
> Richardson's will be split from Cackling.  So the point is well taken
> that we should be looking closely at our tiny geese.  Unfortunately I was
> unable to open your photo file.  I would very much like to see the photos
> of the bird at Centennial.
>
>
> >
> > From: Matt Hafner <>
> > Date: 2004/09/29 Wed PM 06:10:18 EDT
> > To: 
> > Subject: [MDOSPREY] Cackling Geese?
> >
> > As the first reports of newly-split Cackling Geese arrive for the
> state,  I'd
> > like to make a suggestion about the naming.  Cackling Goose was a  poorly
> > chosen name not only for the reason pointed out by Walter Ellison,
> but  also
> > because it refers to previously established subspecies (Branta hutchinsii
> > minima).  To the best of our knowledge, only the nominate
> "Richardson's  Goose" has
> > occurred in MD.  Unless the bird does not appear to be
> typical  Richardson's
> > Goose, I suggest we continue using the name Richardson's Goose
> to  distinguish
> > records from possibly occurring minima (origin debatable).
> >

==================================
Phil Davis      Davidsonville, Maryland     USA
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