DISTRIBUTION AND MOVEMENTS OF GREATER SNOW GEESE, CHEN-CAERULESCENS-ATLANTICA, DURING FALL STAGING IN THE ST-LAWRENCE ESTUARY, QUEBEC

Fall staging of neck-banded Greater Snow Geese, Chen caerulescens atla ntica, along the St. Lawrence estuary in September-November 1985-1987 was characterized by a high rate of inter-site movement. A high propor tion of these movements, many of them between the neighbouring Montmag ny and Cap Saint-Ignace refuges, were made by only a few individuals. Age and sex had no influence on the mobility of birds, but status had an effect in 1987 when pairs were more mobile than families. In spite of this high mobility, individual birds had a tendency to use the same primary staging sites from year to year. Although some consistent pat terns exist in distribution and site faithfulness, selective managemen t of the Greater Snow Goose population during fall staging may be impe ded by the behavioral flexibility of geese in response to factors like disturbance, hunting pressure and food availability.