Species: Chen caerulescens

false - false - true - Migrates north in March and April, arrives in breeding areas in May or early June. Migrates south August-November. Generally retraces in fall routes used in spring. Geese that nest near Hudson Bay generally winter along the coast of Texas and Louisiana; those that nest in the central Canadian arctic usually winter in Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico; nesters from western Canadian arctic usually winter in valleys of California and in New Mexico and Mexico; those that nest on Wrangel Island winter in and around Fraser and Skagit river deltas in British Columbia and Washington, respectively, and also in valleys of California (Johnson and Herter 1989, which see for many further details on migration). The Arctic coastal plain of northeastern Alaska and Yukon is an important staging (feeding) area for most of the western arctic population. Most depart northern staging areas in the Beaufort Sea area by October. Subspecies ATLANTICUS apparently makes only one stop (St. Lawrence River estuary) during spring migration; this is an essential area for accumulating the fat reserves needed for migration and especially reproduction (Gauthier et al. 1992); marshes of St. Lawrence estuary also are used for 5-7 weeks in fall. Males pair with females on mixed wintering grounds and accompany female to her natal or previous nesting area.