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Alaska Species Ranking System - Aleutian Cackling Goose Aleutian Cackling Goose Class: Aves Order: Anseriformes Branta hutchinsii leucopareia Note: Previously classified as Branta canadensis leucopareia. This assessment refers to this subspecies only. A species level report, which refers to all associated subspecies, is also available. Review Status: Peer-reviewed Version Date: 24 April 2018 Conservation Status NatureServe: Agency: G Rank:G5T3 ADF&G: Species of Greatest Conservation Need IUCN: Audubon AK: S Rank: S3B USFWS: Delisted BLM: Final Rank Conservation category: VII. Yellow low status and either high biological vulnerability or high action need Category Range Score Status -20 to 20 -8 Biological -50 to 50 -6 Action -40 to 40 -20 Higher numerical scores denote greater concern Status - variables measure the trend in a taxon’s population status or distribution. Higher status scores denote taxa with known declining trends. Status scores range from -20 (increasing) to 20 (decreasing). Score Population Trend in Alaska (-10 to 10) -10 Increasing since 1991 (PFC 2006a). Data from 2007-2017 suggests the population has been increasing at a rate of 7% per year (USFWS 2018). Distribution Trend in Alaska (-10 to 10) 2 Distribution contracted sharply in the early 20th century as the introduction of foxes eradicated populations on many Aleutian Islands (PFC 2006a). Aleutian Cackling Geese have recolonized and expanded their distribution following management efforts such as predator removal (PFC 2006a). Distribution is also expanding on wintering and staging areas in some parts of their range (T. Rothe, Pacific Birds, pers. comm.). Status Total: -8 Biological - variables measure aspects of a taxon’s distribution, abundance and life history. Higher biological scores suggest greater vulnerability to extirpation. Biological scores range from -50 (least vulnerable) to 50 (most vulnerable). Score Population Size in Alaska (-10 to 10) -10 >25,000. Adult population size in 2017 was estimated at 168,500 (95% CI: 128,700-208,400) individuals (USFWS 2018). 1 Alaska Species Ranking System - Aleutian Cackling Goose Range Size in Alaska (-10 to 10) 8 Occurs on ten islands: eight in the the western Aleutians (islands of the Near, Rat, and Andreanof island groups) and two Semidi Islands, Kiliktagik and Anowik (PFC 2006a). Overwinters in southwestern Washington, the Oregon coast, and in California in the Central Valley and northwest coast (PFC 2006a; T. Rothe, Pacific Birds, pers. comm.). Estimated breeding range in Alaska is ~616 sq. km, calculated in GIS and based on range map by ACCS (2017a). Population Concentration in Alaska (-10 to 10) 2 Occurs on ten islands: eight in the western Aleutians and two of the Semidi Islands (PFC 2006a). The densest concentration of birds is on Buldir Island. Although outside the scope of this assessment, it is important to note that wintering areas in California can also support large concentrations of individuals; there have been historical disease outbreaks in some of these areas (T. Rothe, Pacific Birds, pers. comm.). Reproductive Potential in Alaska Age of First Reproduction (-5 to 5) -3 Breed as early as 2 years of age (Mowbray et al. 2002b). Number of Young (-5 to 5) 1 One clutch per year. On Buldir Island, Byrd and Woolington (1983) estimated an average clutch size of 5.6 eggs, with a range from 2 to 8. A repeated visit by researchers in 2009 reported an average clutch size of 3.4 eggs (SD = 1.3, N = 61; Cocke et al. 2016). Ecological Specialization in Alaska Dietary (-5 to 5) -5 Little is known about diet on breeding grounds. Feeds on leaves, roots, and seeds of forbs and graminoids (Hatch and Hatch 1983; Mowbray et al. 2002b). On the Semidi Islands, Hatch and Hatch (1983) noted a preference for seeds and young shoots of western buttercup, alpine timothy, meadow barley, spike bentgrass, and longawn sedge. On wintering grounds outside Alaska, Aleutian Cackling Geese have adapted to a wide variety of agricultural habitats, including corn, rice, green pastures, and estuary marshes (Mini and Black 2009). Habitat (-5 to 5) 1 Inhabits remote, subarctic islands off Alaska's western coast. On Buldir Island, nests predominantly in tall vegetation on steep, south-facing slopes, though nests have also been found in upland tundra and shrub (Byrd and Woolington 1983; Cocke et al. 2016). Proximity to freshwater is not necessary for this subspecies (Byrd and Woolington 1983; Hatch and Hatch 1983). Biological Total: -6 Action - variables measure current state of knowledge or extent of conservation efforts directed toward a given taxon. Higher action scores denote greater information needs due of lack of knowledge or conservation action. Action scores range from -40 (lower needs) to 40 (greater needs). Score Management Plans and Regulations in Alaska (-10 to 10) -10 Protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA 1918). Recreational and subsistence harvests are allowed and is subject to closed seasons and bag limits (ADFG 2020c; AMBCC 2020). The Pacific Flyway Management Plan for the Aleutian Goose (PFC 2006) summarizes its history and status, management issues, harvest guidelines, and action tasks. Knowledge of Distribution and Habitat in Alaska (-10 to 10) -10 Distribution is well-known. Key areas have been identified for both summer and wintering range; 2 Alaska Species Ranking System - Aleutian Cackling Goose migratory pathways have also been identified (PFC 2006a; Mini et al. 2011). Habitat associations have been studied on Buldir Island (Byrd and Woolington 1983; Cocke et al. 2016) and Kaliktagik Island (Hatch and Hatch 1983). Knowledge of Population Trends in Alaska (-10 to 10) -2 The Pacific Flyway Council currently uses an indirect estimate based on surveys of marked individuals on wintering grounds (PFC 2006a). Surveys are adequate to detect population trends, but do not enable researchers to distinguish between the western Aleutian and Semidi populations (PFC 2006a). This limitation is significant because the Semidi population is not recovering despite management efforts (PFC 2006a); however, we rank this question as C- Adequate since this assessment is conducted at the subspecies, rather than population, level. Knowledge of Factors Limiting Populations in Alaska (-10 to 10) 2 In the summer, appears to be primarily limited by predation. Historically, the population was severely depleted following the introduction of foxes on the Aleutian Islands. An intensive management program, which included predator removal, translocations, and a hunting ban, have allowed this subspecies to recover, with the exception of the small population that breeds on the Semidi Islands (USFWS 2001a; PFC 2006a). On Buldir Island, researched reported lower hatching success and smaller clutch size in 2009 compared to 1970 (Cocke et al. 2016); additional research is required to determine what the causes are. Climate-related effects, such as drought and sea level rise, may pose future challenges on wintering grounds. Outbreaks of avian cholera have been reported on wintering grounds, but these outbreaks have not had population-level effects and impacts have been minimized by effective management (USFWS 2001a). Action Total: -20 Supplemental Information - variables do not receive numerical scores. Instead, they are used to sort taxa to answer specific biological or management questions. Harvest: Not substantial Seasonal Occurrence: Breeding Taxonomic Significance: Subspecies % Global Range in Alaska: >10% % Global Population in Alaska: ≥75% Peripheral: No References Alaska Center for Conservation Science (ACCS). 2017a. Wildlife Data Portal. University of Alaska Anchorage. Available online: http://aknhp.uaa.alaska.edu/apps/wildlife Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG). 2020c. 2020-2021 Migratory game bird hunting regulations summary. Anchorage, AK, USA. Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council (AMBCC). 2020. Regulations for the 2020 Alaska Subsistence Spring/Summer Migratory Bird Harvest. Office of the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, USA. Byrd, G. V., and D. W. Woolington. 1983. Ecology of Aleutian Canada Geese at Buldir Island, Alaska. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Scientific Report No. 253, Aleutian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, Adak, AK, USA. Cocke, J. M., S. K. Alton, and J. M. Black. 2016. Observations of Aleutian Cackling Geese Branta hutchinsii leucopareia breeding on Buldir Island, Alaska: forty-seven years after discovery of a remnant population. Wildfowl 66:112-125. 3 Alaska Species Ranking System - Aleutian Cackling Goose Hatch, S. A. and M. A. Hatch. 1983. An isolated population of small Canada geese on Kaliktagik Island, Alaska. Wildfowl 34:130-136. Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). 1918. U.S. Code Title 16 §§ 703-712 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Mini, A. E., and J. M. Black. 2009. Expensive traditions: Energy expenditure of Aleutian Geese in traditional and recently colonized habitats. The Journal of Wildlife Management 73(3):385-391. Mini, A. E., D. C. Bachman, J. Cocke, K. M. Griggs, K. A. Spragens, and J. M. Black. 2011. Recovery of the Aleutian Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii leucopareia: 10-year review and future prospects. Wildfowl 61:3-29. Mowbray, T. B., C. R. Ely, J. S. Sedinger, and R. E. Trost. 2002b. Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii), version 2.0. In Rodewald, P. G., ed. The Birds of North America. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. DOI:10.2173/bna.cacgoo1.02 Pacific Flyway Council (PFC). 2006a. Pacific Flyway management
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