Field Projects: Geese and Swans

Arctic Goose Joint Venture (AGJV) Coordinating Office (map)

Envirnment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) maintains the Coordinating Office for the AGJV. The office, located in Edmonton, receives project proposals, provides project funding, tracks and reports financial information. The Coordination office also leads communication activities, assists with all policy and program documents, and provides effective liaison between the AGJV Technical Committee and Management Board, all participating partners, and other interested parties.

Duration: Ongoing

Partners: Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) P&Y, P&N, Quebec, Ontario, HQ, Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP), Governments of NWT, Manitoba, Ontario, Ducks Unlimited (DU), US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Flyways, State governments,

Contact: Deanna Dixon

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Management of Expanding Snow Goose Populations (map)

Feeding activities by the rapidly expanding mid-continent population of Lesser Snow Geese have caused extensive damage to coastal marshes along west Hudson Bay. This has prompted wildlife managers to consider a variety of hunting measures to reduce that population. CWS, in cooperation with the territorial, provincial, and U.S. federal and state governments, is implementing numerous techniques to increase harvest of Snow Geese and stop further environmental damage. Greater Snow Geese are also increasing and causing significant crop damage issues.

Duration: ongoing

Partners: Arctic Goose Joint Venture, Governments of NWT, Nunavut, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec; USFWS, U.S. state governments, DU.

Contact: Jim Leafloor, Raymond Sarrazin, Deanna Dixon

Abundance of Breeding Shorebirds and Songbirds in Relation to the Snow Goose Colony on Banks Island (map)

Increasing populations of Lesser Snow Geese on Banks Island could lead to possible long-term loss of important habitat for geese and other migratory birds. The purpose of this study is to determine the abundance of breeding shorebirds and passerines within, and at incrementally greater distances from, the Snow Goose colony on Banks Island as well as to evaluate the impact of increasing Lesser Snow Geese on lowland tundra habitat on Banks Island. Field studies were completed in 2002 and data analysis and reporting are underway.

Duration: 1999 to 2002

Partners:

Contact: Paul Latour, Jim Hines

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Impact of Increased Harvest on the Western Arctic Snow Goose Population (map)

Snow Goose numbers have increased greatly on Banks Island, but numbers on the mainland remain low (e.g., Kendall Island) or have declined (Anderson River). Although it is probably desirable to increase the harvest of the overall Western Arctic population of Snow Geese, it is necessary to evaluate the impact that an increase in harvest, both within and outside the ISR, would have on goose numbers. Specifically, within the ISR, there is a need to determine what impact increased harvest would have on geese at the small mainland colonies, as well as the larger colony on Banks Island. This is to be determined by banding geese at the different colonies to determine what proportion of the harvest is coming from different areas. The study is expected to be useful for delineating areas where selective harvests of Banks Island geese can occur on the mainland of the ISR and would also provide valuable information on the shifting fall, winter, and spring distributions of Snow Geese from the Western Arctic.

Duration: 1999 to 2004

Partners: Wildlife Management Advisory Council (WMAC), Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP)

Contact: Jim Hines

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Snow Goose Impacts on the Lowland Tundra of Banks Island (map)

The Lesser Snow Goose colony on Banks Island has grown at a fast rate (>6% since 1981). Continued long-term population growth at this rate could result in extensive damage to the lowland tundra habitat on which Snow Geese and many other species of wildlife depend. Damage to the tundra ecosystem and subsequent crashes of Snow Geese and Muskox populations would have important socio-economic repercussions for the Inuvialuit of Sachs Harbour, NWT, who live a largely subsistence life style, and to other Inuvialuit communities that harvest large numbers of snow geese each spring. There is an obvious and significant need to assess the present condition of lowland habitat on Banks Island and the possible impacts Snow Geese are having on other species. Managers need to know the urgency of the situation given the risks in increasing harvest rates of Banks Island Snow Geese and whether Snow Geese there are `over-abundant`. This proposed study would address this need by taking both an extensive (remote-sensing) and intensive (ground study) approach to assessing and monitoring habitat.

Duration: 1999 to 2002

Partners: WMAC, PCSP

Contact: Jim Hines

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Nutritional Ecology and Population Biology of Ross' Geese at Karrak Lake (map)

The largest known colony of Ross' Geese occurs at Karrak Lake, Nunavut. The objective of this project is to construct a model that describes fluctuation in the size of the spring and fall populations of Ross' Geese in North America. It is intended to determine which factors (e.g. spring nutrition, arctic weather) most affect the variation in sizes of goose populations.

Duration: ongoing

Partners: PCSP, University of Saskatchewan, DU, Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), Government of Nunavut (GNU), Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (INAC)

Contact: Ray Alisauskas

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Monitoring Survival and Recovery Rates in Mid-continent White-fronted Geese (map)

Recent banding of mid-continent White-fronted Geese in the central and western arctic and in Alaska has yielded valuable information on their distribution during migration and in winter. What were formerly considered eastern and western portions of this goose population show strong mixing outside of the breeding range. Estimates of annual survival are needed to assess the effects of changes in regulations and other management actions. A five-year banding effort is currently under way.

Duration: 1998 to 2002

Partners: Central and Mississippi Flyway Councils, PCSP

Contact: Ray Alisauskas

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Dispersal in Arctic Geese (map)

One of the most important issues related to waterfowl management in North America is the current and projected damage to arctic ecosystems resulting from exponential growth of Snow Goose populations. The focal concern is removal of arctic ecosystems through over-exploitation of vegetation communities by Snow Geese. Such communities are finite, constitute only a portion of the arctic, and are mostly are limited to coastal areas. Predicted outcomes of extensive removal of vegetation include not only subsequent declines in Snow Geese, but also reduction in biodiversity through negative effects on other wildlife populations that rely on affected arctic habitats. As a result, there is a widely recognized need to reverse population growth in midcontinent Snow Geese. Components of population growth include recruitment, survival, immigration, and emigration. This study will provide estimates of immigration and emigration.

Duration: 1999 to 2003

Partners:

Contact: Ray Alisauskas

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Inventory of Snow and Ross' Geese in Arctic Canada by Vertical Aerial Photography (map)

CWS has conducted air photo surveys of Snow and Ross' goose colonies in Arctic Canada since the early 1970's. CWS attempts to survey each of the major white goose breeding areas every five years to track changes in population size. This information is used to establish hunting seasons, bag limits, and for related management decisions.

Duration: ongoing

Partners: PCSP, WMAC, USFWS

Contact: Dale Caswell, Keith Warner, Kathy Meeres

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Population Size, Distribution and Survival of Eastern Arctic Geese (map)

This project monitors several species of concern during annual survey and banding operations. Aerial surveys monitor the population size of small Canada Geese, Lesser Snow Geese, Ross' Geese, Sandhill Cranes and Tundra Swans on the Great Plains of the Koukdjuak (west Baffin Island) and along the west coast of Hudson Bay. Marked birds are monitored during their migration and on their wintering areas to determine their distribution and survival rate. This information is used to establish harvest regulations and to design management actions that will increase the harvest of white geese.

Duration; 1991-2007

Partners: Arctic Goose Joint Venture (AGJV), GNWT, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), PCSP, GNU, Government of Manitoba, Central and Mississippi Flyway councils, Wildlife Management Institute, NWMB, Arviat Hunters and Trappers Organization (HTO).

Contact: Dale Caswell

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Greater Snow Goose Feeding Ecology and Habitat Relationships on Bylot Island (map)

Greater Snow Geese numbers have reached record levels in recent years and continue to increase. High densities could lead to habitat degradation on Bylot Island which supports a major portion of this population. This study will consider how goose feeding activity affects the quality of their habitat and how habitat quality (and other factors) influences goose productivity.

Duration: ongoing

Partners: AGJV, PCSP, Universite Laval

Contact: Richard Cotter

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Goose Studies in James Bay (map)

The coastal wetlands of James Bay are a major staging area for Atlantic Brant, Canada Geese, and Lesser Snow Geese, species important to the Cree and Inuit hunters of northern Quebec. Many Canada Geese also nest and rear young in nearby freshwater marshes. This study will provide information on the ecological requirements of the geese during their staging and breeding periods in order to assess, predict and mitigate impacts from development activities.

Duration: ongoing

Partners: AGJV, James Bay Energy Corporation, Groupe Environment Shooner, Eeyou Corporation

Contact:

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Status, Demography and Winter Habitat use of Western High Arctic Brant (map)

Western High Arctic (WHA) Brant breed mainly on Prince Patrick and Melville islands in the western Canadian Arctic Archipelago and winter almost exclusively in Padilla Bay, Washington. Although more research is needed, analysis of mitochondrial DNA together with field observations, suggest that these birds may be distinct from all other brant stocks in North America. If this were true, the WHA Brant population, numbering only 4-8,000 birds, would be one of the rarest goose stocks in the world. Basic demographic data are needed to understand the dynamics of this population and to ensure that recruitment exceeds or equals harvest and natural mortality over the long-term. For example, virtually nothing is known about the migration strategy used by WHA Brant in the fall. There is a need to assess habitat selection patterns of WHA Brant versus Black Brant in terms of important sites (including protected areas) and habitat types used in winter and during the hunting season.

Duration: to 2003/04

Partners: AGJV, PCSP

Contact: Sean Boyd

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Snow Goose Banding and Associated Inventory (map)

Monitor and assess information on the population dynamics of Snow Geese before, during, and following the projected major adjustments in harvest management programs for all major colonies.

Duration: 1998 to 2008

Partners: : AGJV, US Flyways, USFWS

Contact: Dale Caswell

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