Brant Branta bernicla

Identification Tips:

• Length: 17 inches Wingspan: 48 inches
• Sexes similar
• Small coastal goose
• Black head, neck, and breast
• White patch on neck
• Black bill, legs, and feet
• White upper and undertail coverts, rump, and dark tail
• Very dark wings

Adult-Pacific coast:

• Very dark back
• Blackish belly
• Some white on flanks

Adult-Atlantic coast:

• Dark back
• Pale belly and flanks

Similar species:

Other dark geese have white face patches.

Length and wingspan from: Robbins, C.S., Bruun, B., Zim, H.S., (1966). Birds of North America. New York: Western Publishing Company, Inc.

Above information used courtesy of United States Geological Survey.