News on Dusky's....

[Lured In]

I found this on the WDFW web site and thought it was interesting.

Dusky Canada geese are one of seven recognized subspecies of Canada geese wintering in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington. Recently, a research study was completed by the Alaska Biological Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey, to examine genetic differences of geese brought to check stations in Washington and Oregon. The study was designed to determine the breeding origins of geese classified as duskys at the check stations, as well as origins of geese with similar measurements to duskys but classified as other subspecies. By answering these questions, the study would also indicate how well our check station measurement criteria for duskys (bill length of 40-50 mm and breast color of 5 or less) were performing to classify duskys accurately. Genetic samples were taken from harvested birds in 1997-98 and compared to genetic samples from numerous breeding areas, including Washington.

The breeding range of dusky Canada geese is defined as the Copper River Delta and Middleton Island in south-central Alaska. The study found that not all of the geese classified as duskys at the check stations were from the breeding range of duskys, including approximately half of the males and one-third of the females. These geese look similar to duskys, but are actually other subspecies from different breeding areas. Very few other geese with similar measurements to duskys (not classified as duskys) were from the Copper River Delta or Middleton Island. This study indicated that the current check station measurement criteria are probably erring on the side of conservation in estimating the number of duskys taken. The results are from only one season's harvest, and additional samples are currently being collected and analyzed for comparison. For more information on this study, see:

A Genetic Evaluation of Morphology Used to Identify Harvested Canada Geese. Pearce, J. M., B. J. Pierson, S. L.Talbot, D. V. Derksen, D. K. Kraege, and K. T. Scribner. Journal of Wildlife Management 64(3): 863-874, 2000.

Basically it means that 1/3-1/2 half of the "dusky's" counted against the quota are in fact not dusky's at all.

[Labsforme]

There is a subspecies of lessers called "Wasilla"
I believe, that without DNA or bands they count as Duskies.They legally can count any bird that meets the "legal description" without verifying by DNA etc unless you protest the tag.I had one last year that fortunately was banded and went through the whole process even though later the
guy at the check station admitted he knew from the band number that it wasn't a Dusky but from around Anchorage.Brad Bales(sp) also said they had
a situation with this group of darker lessers.

[jet]

As I reall they call the darker lessers "Vancouvers". The are as dark as the Dusky but have a longer bill than the Dusky. I was told that there has been some interbreading among the Duskys and Vancouvers so we now have to worry about this in the mix now... Light breast keeps you safe.

Throught Natural selection Nature said after the Alaska Earthquake these stupid Duskys that only bread on the copper river delta need to go the way of the Dinosaur. We really need to let then go the way of Natural selection.

Jet~~~

[Labsforme]

The Vancouver is a dark bird that looks like the Duskies but about the size of a Greater,culmen length 50mm and over.Dusky 40mm to 50mm cumen length.I doubt very much they would be interbreeding with Duskies because the breeding areas don't overlap much.