Cackling Goose
Branta hutchinsii
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusBranta (Black Geese)
- SpeciesBranta hutchinsii (Cackling Goose)
About the Cackling Goose
The cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii) is a species of goose found in North America and East Asia. The genus name Branta is a Latinised form of Old Norse Brandgás, "burnt (black) goose", and the specific epithet hutchinsii commemorates English surgeon Thomas Hutchins who was employed by the Hudson's Bay Company.
The cackling goose was originally considered the same species or a subspecies of the Canada goose, but in July 2004 the American Ornithologists' Union's (AOU) Committee on Classification and Nomenclature split the two into two species, making cackling goose into a full species with the scientific name Branta hutchinsii. The British Ornithologists' Union (BOU) followed suit in June 2005.
The AOU has divided the many associated subspecies between both animals. To the present species were assigned: Richardson's cackling goose (B. h. hutchinsii) Aleutian cackling goose (B. h. leucopareia) Small cackling goose (B. h. minima)
Taverner's cackling goose (B. h. taverneri) †Bering cackling goose (B. h. asiatica)—doubtfully distinct from B. h. leucopareia; extinct (c.1929) The distinctions between the two geese have led to a great deal of confusion and debate among ornithologists... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Cackling Goose in Shenandoah National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Shenandoah National Park
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
Common Teal
Anas crecca
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
American White-winged Scoter
Melanitta deglandi
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wrangell-St. Elias National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 3 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 6 | Bahía de Loreto National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 7 | Wood Buffalo National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 10 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 11 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Cackling Goose in Shenandoah National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Cackling Goose sighting in Shenandoah National Park, based on 73 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Cackling Goose in Shenandoah National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Cackling Goose in Shenandoah National Park in our monthly data.