Is there any way to visually distinguish between Barnacle Goose x Canada Goose and Barnacle Goose x Cackling Goose hybrids? Or will some intrepid observer need to collect a DNA sample? ;-) Paul Smith New Haven

Paul, A couple of birders including myself suggested Barnacle x Cackling rather than Canada due to the size of the birds and the size of their bills. The hybrids are almost the exact same size as the Barnacle and have tiny bills. I sought out confirmation from Steve Mlodinow, arguably the top North American goose expert. He confirms Barnacle x Cackling. He also confirmed odd Richardson's for the dark Cackling in the flock. Aidan Kiley Fairfield On Fri, Dec 27, 2019, 10:21 AM Paul Smith via CTBirds < ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > Is there any way to visually distinguish between Barnacle Goose x Canada > Goose and Barnacle Goose x Cackling Goose hybrids? Or will some intrepid > observer need to collect a DNA sample? ;-) > > Paul Smith > New Haven > > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) > for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit > http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org >

I’m at the field that the Barnacle was reported at yesterday. All birds are here by the baseball diamond on the left. Sent from my iPhone > On Dec 27, 2019, at 10:30 AM, Aidan Kiley via CTBirds <ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: > > Paul, > > A couple of birders including myself suggested Barnacle x Cackling rather > than Canada due to the size of the birds and the size of their bills. The > hybrids are almost the exact same size as the Barnacle and have tiny bills. > > I sought out confirmation from Steve Mlodinow, arguably the top North > American goose expert. He confirms Barnacle x Cackling. > > He also confirmed odd Richardson's for the dark Cackling in the flock. > > Aidan Kiley > Fairfield > > >> On Fri, Dec 27, 2019, 10:21 AM Paul Smith via CTBirds < >> ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org> wrote: >> >> Is there any way to visually distinguish between Barnacle Goose x Canada >> Goose and Barnacle Goose x Cackling Goose hybrids? Or will some intrepid >> observer need to collect a DNA sample? ;-) >> >> Paul Smith >> New Haven >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) >> for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. >> For subscription information visit >> http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org >> > _______________________________________________ > This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut. > For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org