Date: 3/18/26 7:48 am From: eric masterson <erictheirish...> Subject: [NHBirds] cackling goose ID
I'm sending this out in my capacity as NH eBird reviewer for spring. I ask people to be conservative when reporting Cackling Goose. Extremes of Cackling Goose (upper limit of body size/mass and bill shape) make some individuals inseparable from smaller Canada Geese, the taxonomy of which is muddy to put it mildly. In my experience, if you think you might have a Cackling Goose, you are most likely looking at a Canada Goose. A clearly identifiable Cackling Goose is usually immediately obvious based on size (mallard adjacent), small bill with short culmen, and short neck. Even in this lousy photo from yesterday, the bird in the center is immediately obvious as a Cackling Goose. I suspect many of the reports of Cackling are actually Canada Geese. In any event, enjoy spring birding. It's the best.
