Page 101 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

WILDFOWL
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae Species Branta bernicla
Brent Goose black head
black bill
white patch high
on neck (absent
pale bars across on juvenile)
wings
dark grey-brown
upperparts
black chest
JUVENILE

brown
uniform wings underside
bold white
stern
ADULT black legs
(DARK-
BELLIED)
IN FLIGHT
ADULT
(DARK-BELLIED)
n winter, this goose of low-lying, often
Imuddy, coasts is common and increasingly tame in
many areas, coming into estuaries and harbours and even feeding on FLIGHT: fast, strong; deep, quick wingbeats; in
roadside fields at high tide. Flocks are often on water, upending like irregular masses or long lines.
ducks in order to feed.At low tide most are
scattered over estuary mud or in the SUBSPECIES
remaining narrow channels.Their pleasant, B. b. hrota
growling calls are far-carrying and typical of (Ireland, NE England)
many estuaries from October to March.
Although little longer than a Mallard, the
Brent Goose usually looks much bigger.
VOICE Rhythmic, deep, throaty rronk rronk,
creating loud, murmuring chorus from whitish
large flocks. LOOSE FLOCK underparts
NESTING Feather-lined nest on ground near Loose flocks of Brent Geese rise from creeks B. b. nigricans
(vagrant from
shallow pool; and muddy channels. North America)
4–6 eggs; 1 brood; white white
May–June. ESTUARY BIRD flanks collar
FEEDING Eats Brent Geese are
eelgrass and algae commonly seen scattered blackish
over estuary mud and the
on mudflats, adjacent arable land at belly
increasingly cereals low tide (pale-bellied
and grass on fields. birds pictured).
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds on Arctic tundra. Mostly
BARNACLE GOOSE white CANADA GOOSE winters in Great Britain, Ireland,
see p.98 face see p.97
white chinstrap and Low Countries, with large
much paler migrations through Baltic. Pale-
bellied birds from Greenland
winter separately from dark-bellied
Siberian breeders.
much
bigger Seen in the UK
JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 56–61cm (22–24in) Wingspan 1.1–1.21m (3 1 ⁄2 –4ft) Weight 1.3–1.6kg (2 3 ⁄4 –3 1 ⁄2lb)
Social Flocks Lifespan 12–15 years Status Localized
99