Cackling goose

Scientific name: Branta hutchinsii

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Small dark goose with black head and neck, white chinstrap and cheek patch, brown-grey body, and white undertail coverts. Noticeably smaller and more compact than Canada geese, with proportionally shorter neck and smaller bill.

Size and weight

Males 1.3–2.0 kg, females 1.1–1.6 kg; body length 53–66 cm. Females notably smaller and lighter than males.

Habitat

Cackling geese breed in arctic and subarctic tundra, coastal marshes, and open grasslands with nearby water. They winter in coastal bays, estuaries, freshwater marshes, and agricultural fields across temperate regions.

Distribution

Breeds across arctic Canada and Alaska; winters primarily along Pacific and Atlantic coasts and interior river valleys from British Columbia to northern Mexico. Populations show distinct flyway preferences.

Diet

Grazes on grasses, sedges, and forbs during breeding and migration; shifts to agricultural grains, seeds, and aquatic vegetation in winter.

Behaviour

Highly social and gregarious, traveling in flocks year-round. Most active at dawn and dusk, moving between roost sites and feeding areas. Males are vocal and territorial during breeding; pairs remain bonded across years.

Hunting tips

Look for V-formation flight lines at dawn and dusk over water and feeding fields; droppings appear in tight clusters on grass and mudflats. Approach from downwind in low terrain using water or vegetation for concealment. Decoy spreads work well; geese respond to calling, particularly during morning and evening movement.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.

United States

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.