# Cackling Goose (*Branta hutchinsii*) Cackling Geese are small, friendly birds that love to live near water. They have a cute, round body and a cheerful honking sound that makes them easy to spot! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Cackling Goose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/AleutianCanadaGoose2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Roy Lowe/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AleutianCanadaGoose2.jpg) ## Appearance The Cackling Goose is a small goose, distinctly smaller than the Canada Goose, with a stubby bill and a rounder head. It has a black neck and head, a prominent white 'chinstrap' patch, and a pale brown body with lighter flanks. Its smaller size and sometimes whiter chest help distinguish it. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Branta ## Interesting facts - Parents will bravely chase away much larger animals to protect their precious nests! - Sometimes, a goose will pretend to be hurt to distract predators from its babies! - The smallest type of Cackling Goose is only about the size of a mallard duck! - They fly in a 'V' shape to save energy, taking turns leading the flock! ## Special abilities - **Endurance Flier:** Cackling Geese can fly thousands of miles because their strong wings and efficient bodies help them migrate across continents. - **Loud Caller:** The Cackling Goose has unique calls that help it communicate warnings and find family members in noisy flocks. - **Sharp Senses:** Cackling Geese have excellent eyesight that helps them spot predators from far away while grazing in open fields. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 55-75 cm - **Wingspan:** 110-130 cm - **Weight:** 0.9-3.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-20 years - **Speed:** 90 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-8 - **Incubation:** 25-28 days - **Migration Distance:** 4500 km ## Diet & Feeding Cackling Geese are plant-eaters, enjoying a variety of grasses, seeds, and grains. - **Age differences:** Goslings consume more protein-rich insects and small invertebrates for rapid growth, shifting to a mostly plant-based diet as they mature. - **Primary Foods:** Grasses, Sedges, Cereal grains, Corn, Berries, Aquatic plants - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Preys on goslings and eggs, sometimes adults. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Hunts eggs and young goslings on nesting grounds. - **Eats:** [Kentucky Bluegrass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/kentucky-bluegrass) (*Poa pratensis*) — Grazes on fresh blades of this common grass. - **Eats:** Water Sedge (*Carex aquatilis*) — Consumes shoots and roots from marshy areas. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch geese from a distance, as they can be protective of their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cackling Goose? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Cackling Goose? 55-75 cm ### What is Cackling Goose's wingspan? 110-130 cm ### How much does Cackling Goose weigh? 0.9-3.2 kg ### How long does Cackling Goose live? 10-20 years ### How fast can Cackling Goose move? 90 km/h ### What does Cackling Goose eat? Cackling Geese are plant-eaters, enjoying a variety of grasses, seeds, and grains. ### Where is Cackling Goose usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Alaska Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alaska-botanical-garden) — Alaska, US · Botanical Garden - [Grand Coulee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grand-coulee) — Washington, US · Natural Landmark - [Locke](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/locke) — California, US · Historic District - [Martha Springer Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/martha-springer-botanical-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Potter Park Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/potter-park-zoo) — Michigan, US · Zoo - [Blue Lake Regional Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blue-lake-regional-park) — Oregon, US · Park [View all places to see Cackling Goose](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cackling-goose) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Cackling Goose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cackling-goose)