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Difference between revisions of "Brant Goose" - BirdForum Opus

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'''Alternative name: Brent Goose'''
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'''Note:''' The spelling '''Brant''' is standard in North America, and the spelling '''Brent''' is standard in Europe. For consistency, 'Brant' is used throughout here, following Clements<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> and IOC<sup>[[#References|[2]]]</sup>.
[[Image:Brent_Goose.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Subspecies ''bernicla''<br />Photo by {{user|Clive+Timmons|Clive Timmons}}<br />Portmarnock]]
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[[Image:Branta bernicla bernicla by Helios.jpg|thumb|550px|right|''Branta bernicla bernicla''<br />Photo by {{user|Helios|Helios}}<br />[[Cley]], Norfolk, UK; February 2012]]
 
;[[:Category:Branta|Branta]] bernicla
 
;[[:Category:Branta|Branta]] bernicla
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
[[Image:Pale-bellied_Brent_Goose.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''hrota''<br />Photo by {{user|Glen+Tepke|Glen Tepke}}<br />Scituate, [[Massachusetts]], [[USA]]]]
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[[Image:Pale-bellied_Brent_Goose.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''Branta bernicla hrota''<br />Photo by {{user|Glen+Tepke|Glen Tepke}}<br />Scituate, [[Massachusetts]], [[USA]]]]
====Dark-bellied Brent (''bernicla'')====
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A small, dark goose, 55-66 cm long, 105-120 cm wingspan, and 1.2-2.25 kg weight.
*Black head and neck (except for a white spot on each side of the neck)
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====Dark-bellied Brant Goose (''B. b. bernicla'')====
*Sharp demarcation from the lower breast, belly, and flank which are light greyish-brown
+
*Black head and neck, except for a white '>'-shaped half-collar on each side of the neck.
*Back and wing coverts are darker brown
+
*Sharp demarcation from the lower breast, belly, and flank which are dark greyish-brown.
*Black wing tips
+
*Back and wing coverts are darker brown.
*The vent, under-tail coverts, and upper-tail coverts (only visible in flight) are white
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*Black wing tips.
*Black tail
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*The vent, under-tail coverts, and upper-tail coverts (only visible in flight) are white.
*Bill, legs and feet are black.  
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*Black tail, shorter than in other geese and sometimes concealed by the white under- and upper-tail coverts.
====Pale-bellied Brent (''hrota'')====  
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*Bill, legs and feet are black.
[[Image:Pale-bellied_Brent_Goose.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''hrota''<br />Photo by {{user|Glen+Tepke|Glen Tepke}}<br />Scituate, [[Massachusetts]], [[USA]]]]
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====Pale-bellied Brant Goose (''B. b. hrota'')====
Much paler belly almost without contrast between vent/undertail and belly. Otherwise similar to Dark-bellied.
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Much paler belly and flanks almost without contrast between vent/undertail and belly. Otherwise similar to Dark-bellied.
====Black Brent (''nigricans'' and ''orientalis'')====
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====Grey Brant Goose (''B. b. nigricans'')====
Much darker central belly and breast, almost without contrast between upper breast and lower breast, where the other forms are sharply demarcated.<br/> On the other hand, this form has a white flank in contrast both up and down to darker areas, but almost as light as the undertail. The white spot on the side of the neck is often much stronger, and can be continuous at the back of the neck.  
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Much as Black Brant, but grey rather than black on fore flanks.
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 +
====Black Brant Goose (''B. b. orientalis'')====
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[[Image:Branta bernicla orientalis by stuprice68.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''Branta bernicla orientalis''<br />Photo by {{user|stuprice68|stuprice68}}<br />Hakodate, [[Hokkaido]], Japan]]
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Much darker central belly and breast, almost without contrast between upper breast and lower breast, where the other forms are sharply demarcated.<br/> On the other hand, this form has a white flank in contrast both up and down to darker areas, but almost as light as the undertail. The white half-collar on the side of the neck is often much stronger, and can be continuous at the back of the neck.  
 
====Immature====
 
====Immature====
 
*All forms lack the white neck marking
 
*All forms lack the white neck marking
 
*White edges to feathers on the wings and back produce a scaly impression
 
*White edges to feathers on the wings and back produce a scaly impression
 +
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
====Dark-bellied Brent (''bernicla'')====
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Circumpolar arctic, wintering on coasts at 30° to 56°N latitude; see taxonomy, below, for detail by subspecies.
[[Image:Black_Brant.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''nigricans'', one bird among many ''bernicla''<br />Photo by {{user|steenl|steenl}}<br />Anjum, Lauwersmeer, [[Netherlands]]]]
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Breeds in [[Siberia]] except for the eastern part, and winters e.g., in [[Europe]] where it is more common than Pale-bellied Brent.
 
====Pale-bellied Brent (''hrota'')====
 
Breeds in Franz Josef Land, [[Svalbard]], [[Greenland]] and northeastern [[Canada]], wintering in [[Denmark]], northeast [[England]], [[Strangford Lough]] in [[Northern Ireland]] and the Atlantic coast of the [[United States]] from [[Maine]] to [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].
 
====Black Brant (''nigricans'' and ''orientalis'')====
 
Breeds in north-east Siberia to most of [[Canada]], winters to [[China]] and [[Mexico]]; it is a rare visitor in [[Europe]] and [[British Isles]].
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
[[Image:29621.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|targetman|targetman}}<br />[[Lincolnshire]], [[UK]] February 2010]]
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[[Image:29621.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''Branta bernicla bernicla'' in flight<br />Photo by {{user|targetman|targetman}}<br />[[Lincolnshire]], [[UK]] February 2010]]
====Subspecies====
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This species has four subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>; a few people split them as separate species, but this is not widely followed at present. The naming of the subspecies has recently been readjusted, after it was discovered that the [[Dictionary_T-Z#T|type specimen]] of ''B. b. nigricans'' was a Grey Brant Goose, and not a Black Brant Goose as had been previously thought. As a result, the Grey Brant Goose, previously with no scientific name, becomes ''B. b. nigricans'', while the Black Brant Goose is renamed ''B. b. orientalis''<sup>[[#References|[3]]]</sup>.
This species has four subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>, but is normally subdivided into three groups; these three groups have recently been suggested as incipient species, in other words many people expect a split to happen sooner or later. The three groups are:  
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The four groups are:  
*Dark Bellied Brent = subspecies ''bernicla''.
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====Dark-bellied Brant Goose (''B. b. bernicla'')====
*Black Brant = Black-bellied Brent = subspecies ''nigricans'' + ''orientalis''.
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Breeds in north-central [[Siberia]] (mainly around the Taimyr Peninsula); winters in coastal north-western [[Europe]], mainly in southern [[England]], [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], and northern [[France]].
*Pale-bellied Brent Goose = subspecies ''hrota''.
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====Pale-bellied Brant Goose (''B. b. hrota'')====
 +
Breeds in Franz Josef Land, [[Svalbard]], [[Greenland]] and northeastern [[Canada]]; winters in western [[Denmark]], northeast [[England]], [[Northern Ireland]], and the Atlantic coast of the [[United States]] from [[Maine]] to [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].
 +
====Grey Brant Goose (''B. b. nigricans'')====
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Breeds on Melville Island in central arctic [[Canada]]; winters mainly in the [[Puget Sound]] in [[Washington]] and [[British Columbia]], also small numbers on the [[New Jersey]] coast.
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====Black Brant Goose (''B. b. orientalis'')====
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Breeds in northeastern [[Siberia]], northern [[Alaska]], and northwestern [[Canada]]; winters to [[China]], [[Japan]], [[Mexico]], and the west coast of [[North America]]; also a rare vagrant to northwest [[Europe]].
  
*''B. b. bernicla'':
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<!--
:*North-central [[Siberia]]; winters coastal [[England]] and north-western [[Europe]]
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bernicla NA, EU widespread
*''B. b. orientalis'':
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nigricans ne Siberia, Alaska, nw Canada e Asia, w North America
:*North-eastern [[Siberia]]
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bernicla nw and nc Russia nw Europe
*''B. b. hrota'':
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hrota ne Canada, Greenland, Spitzbergen ne USA
:*Eastern Arctic [[Canada]], [[Greenland]] and Spitzbergen; winters eastern [[N America]]
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-->
*''B. b. nigricans'':
 
:*Extreme north-eastern [[Siberia]] to northern [[Canada]]; winters to northern [[Mexico]] and [[China]]
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Coasts, tidal estuaries, inland agricultural land and low-lying wet coastal tundra for both breeding and feeding.
 
Coasts, tidal estuaries, inland agricultural land and low-lying wet coastal tundra for both breeding and feeding.
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The diet includes vegetation, especially eel-grass.
 
The diet includes vegetation, especially eel-grass.
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
<flashmp3>Branta bernicla (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
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{{ Audio|Branta bernicla (song).mp3 }}
''[[Media:Branta bernicla (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
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==References==
 
==References==
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug11}}#Wikipedia
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug18}}#{{Ref-GillDonsker14V4.3}}#Reed, A., Ward, D. H., Derksen, D. V., & Sedinger, J. S. (2013). [http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/337/articles/systematics Brant ''Branta bernicla'' Systematics] at The Birds of North America Online.
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#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=2904938 birdforum thread] discussing the forms of Brant Goose
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#Wikipedia
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 +
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Branta+bernicla}}  
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{{GSearch|"Branta bernicla " {{!}} "Brant Goose" {{!}} "Brent Goose"}}
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<br />
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{{VSearch|"Branta bernicla " {{!}} "Brant Goose" {{!}} "Brent Goose"}}
 +
{{GS-checked}}1
 
<br />
 
<br />
{{Video|Brant}}
 
 
<br />
 
<br />
This link searches for videos titled Brent Goose
 
{{Video|Brent_Goose}}
 
 
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Branta]] [[Category:Bird Songs]][[Category:Videos]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Branta]] [[Category:Bird Songs]][[Category:Videos]]

Latest revision as of 22:13, 14 April 2023

Note: The spelling Brant is standard in North America, and the spelling Brent is standard in Europe. For consistency, 'Brant' is used throughout here, following Clements[1] and IOC[2].

Branta bernicla bernicla
Photo by Helios
Cley, Norfolk, UK; February 2012
Branta bernicla

Identification

Branta bernicla hrota
Photo by Glen Tepke
Scituate, Massachusetts, USA

A small, dark goose, 55-66 cm long, 105-120 cm wingspan, and 1.2-2.25 kg weight.

Dark-bellied Brant Goose (B. b. bernicla)

  • Black head and neck, except for a white '>'-shaped half-collar on each side of the neck.
  • Sharp demarcation from the lower breast, belly, and flank which are dark greyish-brown.
  • Back and wing coverts are darker brown.
  • Black wing tips.
  • The vent, under-tail coverts, and upper-tail coverts (only visible in flight) are white.
  • Black tail, shorter than in other geese and sometimes concealed by the white under- and upper-tail coverts.
  • Bill, legs and feet are black.

Pale-bellied Brant Goose (B. b. hrota)

Much paler belly and flanks almost without contrast between vent/undertail and belly. Otherwise similar to Dark-bellied.

Grey Brant Goose (B. b. nigricans)

Much as Black Brant, but grey rather than black on fore flanks.

Black Brant Goose (B. b. orientalis)

Branta bernicla orientalis
Photo by stuprice68
Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan

Much darker central belly and breast, almost without contrast between upper breast and lower breast, where the other forms are sharply demarcated.
On the other hand, this form has a white flank in contrast both up and down to darker areas, but almost as light as the undertail. The white half-collar on the side of the neck is often much stronger, and can be continuous at the back of the neck.

Immature

  • All forms lack the white neck marking
  • White edges to feathers on the wings and back produce a scaly impression

Distribution

Circumpolar arctic, wintering on coasts at 30° to 56°N latitude; see taxonomy, below, for detail by subspecies.

Taxonomy

Branta bernicla bernicla in flight
Photo by targetman
Lincolnshire, UK February 2010

This species has four subspecies[1]; a few people split them as separate species, but this is not widely followed at present. The naming of the subspecies has recently been readjusted, after it was discovered that the type specimen of B. b. nigricans was a Grey Brant Goose, and not a Black Brant Goose as had been previously thought. As a result, the Grey Brant Goose, previously with no scientific name, becomes B. b. nigricans, while the Black Brant Goose is renamed B. b. orientalis[3]. The four groups are:

Dark-bellied Brant Goose (B. b. bernicla)

Breeds in north-central Siberia (mainly around the Taimyr Peninsula); winters in coastal north-western Europe, mainly in southern England, Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France.

Pale-bellied Brant Goose (B. b. hrota)

Breeds in Franz Josef Land, Svalbard, Greenland and northeastern Canada; winters in western Denmark, northeast England, Northern Ireland, and the Atlantic coast of the United States from Maine to Georgia.

Grey Brant Goose (B. b. nigricans)

Breeds on Melville Island in central arctic Canada; winters mainly in the Puget Sound in Washington and British Columbia, also small numbers on the New Jersey coast.

Black Brant Goose (B. b. orientalis)

Breeds in northeastern Siberia, northern Alaska, and northwestern Canada; winters to China, Japan, Mexico, and the west coast of North America; also a rare vagrant to northwest Europe.

Habitat

Coasts, tidal estuaries, inland agricultural land and low-lying wet coastal tundra for both breeding and feeding.

Behaviour

Breeding

The raised cup-shaped nest is lined with grass and down.

Diet

The diet includes vegetation, especially eel-grass.

Vocalisation

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2014. IOC World Bird Names (version 4.3). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
  3. Reed, A., Ward, D. H., Derksen, D. V., & Sedinger, J. S. (2013). Brant Branta bernicla Systematics at The Birds of North America Online.
  4. birdforum thread discussing the forms of Brant Goose
  5. Wikipedia

Recommended Citation

External Links


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