Population Dynamics of the Canaan Valley West Virginia Canada Goose Population
The Canaan Valley, West Virginia, Canada goose (Branta canadensis) flock is a discrete population that resulted from birds released in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This flock is the only flock in West Virginia that regularly migrates out of the state during winter and returns for nesting. It remains discrete even though other populations exist within 27 km to the east and west. This is the southernmost migratory flock of geese in the eastern United States. Helicopter surveys were conducted from 1982 to 1993 to estimate population size, and banding was conducted from 1977 to 1993 to...