DISTRIBUTION OF AUTUMN-STAGING LESSER SNOW GEESE ON THE NORTHEAST COASTAL-PLAIN OF ALASKA

We conducted aerial surreys of Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens ca erulescens) during autumn staging on the coastal plain of the Arctic N ational Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in northeast Alaska from late August th rough September, 1982-1993. We evaluated numbers and distribution of S now Geese that staged on the ANWR, compared abundance of birds among 5 x5-km cells used frequently (5-8 yr), periodically (3-4 yr), or infreq uently (1-2 yr), and examined distribution changes within Fears. Maxim um numbers of Snow Geese observed annually were highly variable (range 12,828-309,225). Snow Goose flocks occurred across 605,000 ha of the coastal plain, but used some areas more frequently than others. Freque ntly used cells (38 of 363 cells in the study area) were non-randomly distributed and primarily occurred on the central coastal plain betwee n the wet coastal and steep foothills regions. Abundance of geese was greatest in frequently used, intermediate in periodically used, and lo west in infrequently used cells. Within years, Snow Goose numbers and flock locations varied between surveys, possibly because geese moved t o different foraging areas during staging. The widespread distribution and annual variability in numbers of Snow Geese on the coastal plain was likely because birds used foraging habitats that were spatially an d temporally heterogeneous. The ANWR coastal plain is an important com ponent of the fall-staging area used by Snow Geese that nest in the we stern Canadian Arctic. Management decisions that affect the region sho uld reflect its value to migrating Snow Geese.