Bird

Lesser Canada goose; Cackling Goose

Branta hutchinsii leucopareia
Bird
Lesser Canada goose; Cackling Goose

Photo: Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia

Habitat
Fort Clatsop
Conservation
Vulnerable
First Observed
1805-12-08

This Cackling Goose subspecies breeds on the Aleutian Islands and winters on the Pacific NW coast in small numbers.

In the NPS atlas of species the expedition described

Lesser Canada goose; Cackling goose

Animal · recorded by Meriwether Lewis

Lewis described it at Fort Clatsop. This Cackling Goose subspecies breeds on the Aleutian Islands and winters on the Pacific Northwest coast in small numbers.

Source: National Park Service, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Park Atlas.

Recent sightings

Where it’s being seen today

2 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2018–2026. Most recent: 2026-03-18. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.

Journal References

15 journal entries mention Lesser Canada goose; Cackling Goose

Apr 13 1805
Missouri River near Little Missouri — Patrick Gass: April 13, 1805
...miles and encamped on the North side, where we found a wild goose nest on a tree about 60 feet high. One of the men climbed the tree and found one egg in the nest.
Apr 18 1805
Patrick Gass: April 18, 1805
a wild goose. The morning was fine and we went on very well until 1 o’clock, when the wind blew so hard down t...
May 1 1805
Missouri River near Porcupine River — Joseph Whitehouse: May 1, 1805
...to hunt. they killed one buffaloe one Deer 2 beaver and one Goose. the party camped opposite to where I lay all night the man who was with me kill’ a Deer. (came o...
Jun 9 1805
Marias River decision camp — Patrick Gass: June 9, 1805
...en killed an excellent fat buffaloe. There is a quantity of gooseberry and choak-cherry bushes on the point, and also some rabbit berries.
Jun 15 1805
Great Falls of the Missouri — Patrick Gass: June 15, 1805
...n a point above, there is a great quantity of straw- berry, gooseberry and choak-cherry bushes ; and there appears to be a good deal of small cotton-wood on the bank...
Jun 25 1805
Great Falls Portage — John Ordway: June 25, 1805
...iew flowers in the plains. Great quanties of choke cherryes Goose berrys red & yallow berry, & red purple currents on the Edges of the water, we catch great quantiti...
Jun 26 1805
Great Falls Portage — John Ordway: June 26, 1805
...s day and Camped on the Stard Side.2 our hunters killed one goose which was all the game killed to day. July 26th Friday 1805. a clear morning, we set out as usal an...
Jun 27 1805
Great Falls Portage — John Ordway: June 27, 1805
usal, and proceeded on. Some of the hunters killed a goose and a beaver, about 8 oClock A. M. we halted took breakfast under a handsom ceeder tree on S. Side....
Jun 30 1805
Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 30, 1805
...les this day and Camped on the N.S. our hun- ter killed one goose, which was all that was killed this day. [ 120 ] 1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
Jul 10 1805
Great Falls Portage — Patrick Gass: July 10, 1805
...ere there are high rocks, I found a great quantity of sweet gooseberries, all ripe.
Jul 27 1805
Three Forks of the Missouri — Patrick Gass: July 27, 1805
...timber on the branches, chiefly cotton-wood. Also currants, goose and service ber- ries, and choak-cherries on the banks. The deer are plenty too; some of the men we...
Aug 4 1805
Jefferson River ascending toward divide — John Ordway: August 4, 1805
...timber along the River as below, we proceeded ,on. killed a goose & a duck they are pleanty on the River, we Came 15 miles this day and Camped on s. side at a bottom...
Aug 23 1805
Camp Fortunate, Sacagawea reunites with Cameahwait — Patrick Gass: August 23, 1805
... and no path or trail of any kind. This morning we killed a goose, and badly wounded a large buck in the water. One of our sergeants is very unwell. We went on 3 mil...
Sep 7 1805
Lost Trail Pass, meeting Flathead Salish at Ross's Hole — John Ordway: September 7, 1805
...r hunters killed two Deer. Some of the the hunters killed 1 goose 1 crain Several pheasants and a hawk, we proceeded on crossed Several Small creeks and runs1 we had...
Sep 9 1805
Travelers' Rest near present-day Lolo, MT — John Ordway: September 9, 1805
...e Mo* each Side of this valley, one of the hunters killed a goose and a wood pecker. Cap* Clark killed 4 pheasants or prarie hens, we find wild or choak cherries alo...

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