Survival and Recovery Rates of Canada Geese from Maryland and North Carolina 1963-1974

State and federal personnel banded 4,960 Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in North Carolina and 11,522 in Maryland from 1963-1974. Adult survival for Maryland geese was estimated as 81.96% (SE = 0.88%) and for North Carolina geese as 79.23% (SE = 0.96%) indicating that geese banded in Maryland had a higher average annual survival rate (P < 0.01). Recovery rates also indicated Canada geese from North Carolina (3.01 %, SE = 0.16%) may have had higher rates of harvest compared to Maryland (2.39%, SE = 0.10%) (P < 0.001). Model simulations indicated that estimated differences in survival were probably not of sufficient magnitude to have caused the observed population shift.