The Great Basin Canada goose in southcentral Washington: A 40-year nesting history

• Main Authors: Fitzner, R. E., Rickard, W. H., Eberhardt, L. E., Gray, R. H.
• Other Authors: United States. Department of Energy.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Pacific Northwest Laboratory 1991
• Subjects: Populations; Animals; Eggs; 220700 > Nuclear Reactor Technology > Plutonium & Isotope Production Reactors; Population Density; Hatching; 21 Specific Nuclear Reactors And Associated Plants; Vertebrates 550100* > Behavioral Biology; Surface Waters; Biological Indicators; Geese; 22 General Studies Of Nuclear Reactors; Islands; Habitat; Us Organizations; Production Reactors; Streams; Reactors; Columbia River; National Organizations; 59 Basic Biological Sciences; Plutonium Production Reactors; Ecology; Fowl; Us Erda; Rivers; Hanford Production Reactors; Hanford Reservation; Birds; Population Dynamics; Us Doe; 220500 > Nuclear Reactor Technology > Environmental Aspects; Environmental Impacts; Historical Aspects; Canada; River Islands; Branta canadensis; Canada Goose
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1055454/

Overall, the nesting population of Great Basin Canada geese (Branta canadensis moffitti) on the Hanford Site in southcentral Washington State is doing well and appears to be increasing. The average annual total nests for the period 1981 through 1990 was 215 nests, which is slightly above the average reported for the period 1950 through 1970. The nesting population has shifted its nucleus from upriver islands (1--10) to the lower river islands (11--20) with over 70% of the present-day nesting occurring on Islands 17, 18, 19, 20. The annual percent-successful nests from 1981 through 1990 was 80%. This is above the 71% reported for 1950 to 1970, but is below the 82% reported for 1971 to 1980. Average annual clutch size for 1981 to 1990 was 6.05, which is above the 1971-to-1980 average of 5.6 and the 1950-to-70 average of 5.5. Next desertions for 1981 to 1990 averaged 8%. This rate is well below the 14% reported for 1950 to 1970. Predators were responsible for an annual predation rate of 9% from 1981 to 1990. This is below the 1950-to-1970 annual average predation rate of 14%. Flooding losses to nests were low during the 1980s, except for 1989 and 1990 when 6% and 9% of the total nests, respectively, were destroyed by flooding. 9 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.