Nest-Site Selection and Nesting Ecology of Giant Canada Geese in Central Tennessee

Abstract

Little information is available on giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima) nest-site selection on isolated nesting ponds. We monitored 46 island and 72 shoreline nests in the Upper Cumberland (UC) region of central Tennessee during 2002 and 2003. We measured 6 habitat variables at nesting ponds and randomly-selected non-nesting ponds. We used logistic regression to determine which habitat variables were important in nest-site selection. Presence of an island was the most important variable, but it was excluded from the final analysis because of quasi-separation (i.e., geese nested on all known islands in the study area). Geese that nested on shorelines generally selected larger ponds that may have offered a larger foraging base and more escape options from predators. Nest success rates were similar for island and shoreline nests. Management actions in the UC region and similar areas should be concentrated on ponds with islands because of higher goose nesting densities and ease in finding nests.

Keywords

• branta canadensis
• canada goose
• human–wildlife conflicts
• tennessee