Atlantic Flyway Canada Goose Study February, 1986 SQeC i al Report The Status of Wintering Canada Geese in the "Southern Region" of the Atlantic Flyway by Richard Malecki, Project Leader New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Fernow Hall, Cornell University Ithaca, New York 14853 Prepared for Cooperators: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Pennsylvania Game Commission New Jersey Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife Maryland Wildlife Administration Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department The following is a progress report and not intended for publication. In our previous descriptions of Canada goose sub-populations, we have found it convenient to generalize about the "southern region"; those wintering birds predominantly associated with the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida (Trost and Malecki 1985). As we begin to build our data base from neck collar observations we should improve our ability to differentiate and manage various segments of geese within this group. The following is an update on how things are progressing to date. The classic reference on Canada geese by Hanson and Smith (1950), "Canada geese of the Mississippi Flyway: With special reference to an Illinois flock" described a "South Atlantic" population that nested along the eastern portion of James and Hudson Bays and wintered along the Atlantic coast from southern New Jersey to North Carolina. Lake Mattamuskeet in Hyde County, North Carolina was at that time the most important wintering area for this population. The authors also wrote of, "the existence of a distinct and heretofore unrecognized group of Canada geese that winter in the inland areas of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama and on the Gulf Coast of Florida". This group was identified as the "Southeast" population. Band returns for this latter group indicated that they nested near the southern part of James Bay; their breeding ground merging with that of the Mississippi Valley population and the South Atlantic. The fall migration of Southeast geese was reported to follow that of MVP birds as far south as the Jack Miner Sanctuary near Kingsville, Ontario. Here, they appeared to diverge, fanning out south and southeast over a number of courses. Fourteen years later, Hansen and Nelson (1964) added a bit more information on the Southeast population by redefining the breeding range as, "a small area inland from the south coast of James Bay north along the east side of Hudson Bay to southern Baffin Island, and on Akimiski Island". However, this was soon followed by Hankla and Rudolph's paper (1967) describing dramatic declines in Canada goose numbers over much of the southern wintering grounds. The St. Marks' flock in Florida, which once numbered 25-30,000 birds, was reported reduced to a remnant flock estimated at 6,300, while goose flocks in Georgia, which may never have been a significant wintering component, were described as essentially eliminated. Though geese in Alabama were increasing, due to the attraction of the Wheeler NWR, their migration and wintering habits became altered to the point where they no longer were considered part of the Southeast population. The mid-1960's was also the period when major declines in wintering numbers of geese at Mattamuskeet NWR were being realized (Hankla and Rudolph, 1967; Florschutz, 1968). Peak populations on the refuge went from 135,000 in 1959-60 to 39,700 in 1966-67. The only bright spot in the south at this time was South Carolina where, despite moderate declines, there were still more wintering geese (-25,000) in the state than at any time prior to 1950. Little has been published since the mid-1960's to expand on the status of these wintering flocks. The intent of this report is to update the available data on these southern goose populations to allow a more complete look at future options for their management. • present Status Florida In 1967, Crider warned of the inevitable demise of the St. Marks' flock due to the interception of these geese at more northern latitudes. Recoveries of birds banded at this wintering location showed a high proportion of returns coming from eastern Canada and the coastal portion of the Atlantic Flyway north of Florida. On southern Baffin Island, recoveries from early bandings of geese show a strong affiliation with the St. Marks' flock (fig. 1, from H. Lumsden, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) and also highlight the disproportionate number of recoveries from northern latitudes. The St. Marks' flock in Florida is presently considered too small to warrant anything but very conservative measures to protect the birds that remain. Today, few geese actually frequent the areas in and about the St. Marks' NWR; most of the birds being reported on state and private lands near Tallahassee. Their number has been estimated at about 500-600 (Tom Goodwin, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, pers. comm.), although estimates are difficult because of mixing with resident geese in this region. The future of the migratory Florida population remains very speculative. Little information exists regarding the present distribution of this group. Reports from native Inuit in the southern Baffin Island area indicate that the numbers of nesting geese in this region may be increasing (Harry Lumsden, pers. comm.). However, to what extent these birds still maintain an affinity for the Florida wintering area is unknown. Similarly the use of the southern James Bay area for nesting and as a fall staging area remain uncertain. The use of neck collars at these locations or on migrant birds frequenting the Tallahassee area might provide information needed to help supplement any future efforts to re-establish this flock. Baffin Island Fig. 1. Direct and indirect recoveries of Canada ~ geese banded on south Baffin Island (all years) : (from H. Lumsden) South Carolina In South Carolina, the numbers of wintering Canada geese have declined dramatically over the past 10 years (fig. 2). Mid-winter estimates total a scant 1,900 birds and future projections for this population, based on the present trend, indicate that the situation in South Carolina is indeed serious. A total of 648 geese have been fitted with neck collars in South Carolina over the past 2 years; 454 at the Santee NWR and 194 at the Carolina Sandhills NWR. Few observations (13) have come from the Carolina Sandhill's birds, which were banded only last year. These have all been from South Carolina. However, over 850 sightings have been reported from geese banded at Santee. The distribution of these observations, using only those neck collar codes unique to each state or province (i.e., multiple observations of the same bird were omitted) is shown in Figures 3 and 4. Of these, 48 percent came from the coastal areas (east of 77° Long.) of North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland. About 28 percent was derived from New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan and the remainder came primarily from South Carolina. The interpretation of the distribution data is quite speculative at this time. This is because we are still in the process of determining how to assess the probability of detecting a neck collared bird at the various locations where they are reported (i.e., a collar code read in New York may not be equivalent to one reported in Ohio or Maryland). In any event, the data suggest a probable fall movement of geese through central New York to Maryland. then along the coastline from Maryland south to North Carolina before reaching the winter terminus in South Carolina. Only 3 multiple observations have been made of birds seen in one of these northern states prior to being observed in South Carolina. All 3 observations were made in Maryland, and one bird was additionally observed in Virginia. - ....... lSI .,... N t:f't·Ol ...... ~ t:;a.l· tJ) ~ IJ.1 « c_::l z a--1 (t ~ r.:. 0 <X ~ z <t (t u u lSI :c -···co ~ [-4 Cf'• 0 ::3 ..-1 0 (1.1 (.f~ ~ ~ z ~ ........ :E ::3z .. C!i) --··---····---r:--·--------···-T---------···----·-;···-·····--·····--··---·-··-·~·-··-··-··· ~ ~ " 0"'1 Lf) CSI Lt':R t.SI ...-f ..-f ..-1 \ \ I I I v !!--· ". / - \ \ - \ , ' _ _ Fig. 3. Total unique observations of \ i Canada geese marked at the ___. Santee NWR in South Carolina - (1984 and 1985). ____. - I - - ' I ) \ 1 ~ I I ~ __ ...-g -" - - - I - - / I I 1.,.-/ I {!gil) - - \ \ \ I .I I I Figure 4. Percent distribution of unique observations for Canada geese marked at the Santee NWR in South Carolina. I- ] 1984-1985;n=257 f{(:(:::;:;:\¥1 Oct.- Dec.1985; n=180 30 . % 20 10 NY PA MD DE VA NC sc ON Ml OH AL OTHER* STATE * less than 1% of the total in each year 1984-85: NJ, WI, TN, KY, PO. Oct.-Dec. 1985:TN, KY, PQ. Another fall movement appears evident west of the Appalachian range. This is suggested by the number of sightings in Michigan, Ohio, and western Pennsylvania, plus those made in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama. The importance of these observations is seen in the fact that we do not have paid observers in these states (except Pennsylvania), therefore, the probability of detecting these birds should be much smaller. The existence of two migration corridors for South Carolina geese is in line with earlier findings reporting the derivation of flocks associated with the "Southeast" population (Crider 1967; Hankla and Rudolph 1967). Further evidence for this association comes from the James Bay region in Canada where Ken Abraham (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources) reported capturing 10 of our neck collared birds (July 17-23, 1985) on Akimiski Island, N.W.T.