LC
Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note

Branta canadensis (del Hoyo and Collar 2014) was previously split as B. canadensis and B. hutchinsii following AOU (2004), and before then lumped as B. canadensis following Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993).

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2021 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2006 Least Concern
2004 Not Recognised
2000 Not Recognised
1994 Not Recognised
1988 Not Recognised
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 8,410,000 km2 medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 24,200,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 4500000 mature individuals poor estimated 2020
Population trend increasing - suspected -
Generation length 9.7 years - - -

Population justification: The global population is estimated to number 4,500,000 mature individuals (Partners in Flight 2020).

Trend justification: This species is considered to be increasing (Wetlands International 2020).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Canada extant native yes yes
Japan extant reintroduced yes yes
Marshall Islands extant vagrant
Mexico extant native yes yes
Russia extant reintroduced yes
Russia (Asian) extant reintroduced yes
South Korea extant vagrant yes
Taiwan, China extant vagrant yes
USA extant native yes yes yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Arable Land suitable non-breeding
Grassland Tundra major breeding
Wetlands (inland) Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) major non-breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha) major breeding
Wetlands (inland) Permanent Saline, Brackish or Alkaline Marshes/Pools suitable non-breeding
Altitude   Occasional altitudinal limits  

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture international
Sport hunting/specimen collecting national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/cackling-goose-branta-hutchinsii on 09/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 09/01/2025.