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Brant

Branta berniclaOrder: ANSERIFORMESFamily: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Brant Portrait
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General

Brant: Small goose with dark brown upperparts and brown-barred, pale gray underparts. Head is black; short black neck has partial white ring. Tail and vent are white. Western race, formerly known as the Black Brant, is darker. Sexes are similar. Juvenile is darker and lacks white on neck.

Range and Habitat

Brant: Breeds in eastern Siberia and along the northern coast of Alaska and western Canada; Pacific subspecies spends winters along the west coast from British Columbia to Baja California. Preferred habitats include tundra and coastal islands in the Arctic during breeding, and salt marshes and estuaries during winter.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"c-r-r-onk, crr-ronk"

Interesting Facts

 The Brant is also known as the Brent Goose. The spelling "Brant" is the original one, with "Brent" being a later folk-etymological idea that it was derived from a classical Greek water bird name brenthos. It actually came from the guttural call note of the species.

 They possess a highly developed salt gland that allows them to drink salt water.

 They have the shortest tail of any goose.

 A group of geese has many collective nouns, including a "blizzard", "chevron", "knot", "plump", and "string" of geese.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Brant
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Geese (Anatidae)_blue
Species Branta bernicla
Length22 - 26 Inches
Wingspan45.5 Inches

Brant

Brant: Small goose, dark brown upperparts and brown-barred, pale gray underparts. Head is black; short black neck has partial white ring. Tail and vent are white. Western race, formerly known as the Black Brant, is darker. Heavy direct flight with strong wing beats. Flies in straight line formation.

● Song: "c-r-r-onk, crr-ronk"

● Foraging & Feeding: Brant: Feeds on grass, sedges, algae, moss, lichens, and invertebrates on breeding grounds. During winter in eastern and central North America, diet consists mainly of eelgrass found in tidal flats; usually feeds in flocks during low tide when vegetation is accessible; excess vegetation left floating is then eaten during high tide.

● Breeding & nesting: Brant: One to seven creamy white to buff eggs are laid in a large nest made of moss and down built on the tundra. Often nests in loose colonies. Incubation ranges from 22 to 26 days and is carried out by both parents.

● Similar species: Brant: Canada Goose is larger, longer-necked, paler, and has conspicuous white cheek patch. Other dark geese have white face patches.

Flight Pattern

Heavy direct flight with strong wing beats.
Brant Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Brant: Breeds in eastern Siberia and along the northern coast of Alaska and western Canada; Pacific subspecies spends winters along the west coast from British Columbia to Baja California. Preferred habitats include tundra and coastal islands in the Arctic during breeding, and salt marshes and estuaries during winter.
BreedingMonogamous, Mates for life
PopulationCommon but local
MigrationMigratory
Weight48 Ounces