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    Brant

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    A bird that scoffs at fresh water and grassy parks

    Andrej Chudý








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    Brant

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE

    A bird that scoffs at fresh water and grassy parks

    Population 490,000

    Considerably smaller and more compact than your average Canada goose, the Brant is built like a little tank. Its color palette is moody and sophisticated: a soot-black head, neck, and breast that contrast sharply with a grayish-brown back. But its “signature accessory” is the “necklace”—a delicate, broken ring of white feathers on its neck that looks like a hand-painted collar against its dark plumage.

    What truly separates the Brant from almost every other goose is its “ocean-only” lifestyle. While most geese are happy grazing on golf courses or farm fields, the Brant is a saltwater specialist. It spends nearly its entire life along the coast, specifically seeking out intertidal mudflats and shallow bays. It is one of the few birds almost entirely dependent on a very specific food: eelgrass. Because eelgrass grows in the tide, the Brant has to time its meals perfectly, waiting for the water to recede so it can reach the succulent green ribbons. This specialized diet means that if the eelgrass is healthy, the Brant thrives; if it disappears, the Brant is forced to become a pioneer, searching for new coastal frontiers.

    Even the way a Brant travels is unique. While most geese fly in high, majestic V-formations, Brants prefer a more “low-key” approach. They usually fly in loose, ragged lines or “bunched” groups, often staying very low over the waves—sometimes so low they seem to be skipping across the water. They are also incredibly quiet compared to their loud, honking cousins. Instead of a trumpet-like blast, they communicate with a soft, guttural “cr-r-r-uk” or a throaty growl. It’s a subtle, almost conversational sound that matches their calm, steady presence on the water.

    Distribution

    Country
    Population est.
    Status
    Year
    Comments
    Algeria
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Austria
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Barbados
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Belarus
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Belgium
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Bermuda
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Bulgaria
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Canada
    2020
    China
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Croatia
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Czechia
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Denmark
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Egypt
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Faroe Islands
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Finland
    2020
    Passage
    France
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Germany
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Greece
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Greenland
    2020
    Breeding
    Hungary
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Iceland
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Ireland
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Italy
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Japan
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Kazakhstan
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Korea
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Latvia
    2020
    Passage
    Luxembourg
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Mexico
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Morocco
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Netherlands
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    North Korea
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Norway
    2020
    Passage
    Poland
    2020
    Passage
    Portugal
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Puerto Rico
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Romania
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Russia
    2020
    Breeding
    Saint Pierre
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Senegal
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Slovakia
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Spain
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    Svalbard
    2020
    Breeding
    Switzerland
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Taiwan
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Tunisia
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    Turkey
    2020
    Seasonality Uncertain
    United Kingdom
    2020
    Non-Breeding
    United States
    2020

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    Get to know me

    Terrestrial / Aquatic

    Altricial / Precocial

    Polygamous / Monogamous

    Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

    Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

    Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Flock

    Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

    Migratory: Yes / No

    Domesticated: Yes / No

    Dangerous: Yes / No

    EXEWCRENVUNTLCDDNE
    Least Concern(IUCN)
    World Population 490,000
    Honorary Patron: BioDB
    Become a Patron

    Threats

    Habitat destruction / Climate change / Freshwater pollution / Marine pollution / Deforestation / Farming / Fishing practices / Poaching & wildlife trade / Invasive species / Parasites & diseases / Noise pollution / Light pollution

    My ID

    Scientific name: Branta bernicla Other names:

    Brent goose Number of subspecies: 3 Name of subspecies:

    B. b. bernicla
    B. b. hrota
    B. b. nigricans

    Physical traits

    Length: 55 – 66 cm (22 – 26 in) Weight: 880 – 2,200 g (31 – 78 oz) Lifespan: 12 – 20 years Wingspan: 106 – 121 cm (42 – 48 in) Incubation: 22 – 27 days Eggs: 3 – 5 eggs
    Habitats: Marine Fresh water Savannah/Grassland Tundra
    Regions: Africa Asia Europe North America
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