Below is a photo of a Richardson’s (hutchinsii) Cackling Goose with a lovely white neck collar. Some B. h. hutchinsii can show this feature. I sent photos of this bird to waterfowl expert, Ken Abraham, and he mentioned that in a sample of fall migrant B. h. hutchinsii from Thunder Bay that were examined in 2005-2006, 23 of 82 had good white neck rings. Banding data have linked those birds to Baffin Island. He wasn’t sure exactly what the percentages are from other areas within the Cackling goose breeding range, but suspected that they were not uncommon and that occasionally one will have very strong markings such as what is seen on this particular bird.

Photo: Two Richardson’s (hutchinsii) Cackling Geese with Canada Geese. Can you spot the second Cackling Goose? Carp River floodplain, Carp, Ontario. 18 November 2013.