Temporal Changes in Fall and Winter Foods of Canada Geese
We studied fall and winter food habits of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) in the Swan Lake Zone of north-central Missouri during the 1980-82 hunting seasons. Gizzards from hunter-killed geese were obtained during 5 periods of each hunting season. Average proportions of native foods, row crops, winter wheat, and other forage were highly variable among and within years. Row crops in the diet ranged from an average of 1.1%to 99.6% by volume, compared to 0.3% to 98.8% for native foods. In general, row crops increased and native foods decreased in average percent volume through the hunting...
