Bald Eagles consume Emperor Geese during late-winter in the Aleutian Archipelago

Abstract

Emperor Geese ( Chen canagica ) are a species of concern because their population has declined rapidly since the mid-1960s and continues to remain below management objectives (Petersen et al. 1994). Emperor Geese are restricted primarily to Alaska and exhibit an east-west migration pattern, whereby most birds begin breeding on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta by mid-May, stage on the Alaska Peninsula by late September, and migrate westward to winter in the Aleutian Archipelago from late November to mid-April (Eisenhauer and Kirkpatrick 1977, Petersen et al. 1994). Demographic and movement studies have been conducted on breeding grounds and stagmg areas (e.g., Schmutz et al. 1994, 1997); however, the winter ecology of Emperor Geese is poorly understood due in part to the extremely remote nature of the Aleutian Archipelago (Petersen et al. 1994).