Brant

Brant, adult, pale-bellied form

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About the map

Play sound from this species

Brant, black form

Brant, juvenile, pale-bellied form

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1. Description
2. Similar Species
3. Sound
4. Range
5. Other Names

An abundant small goose of the ocean shores, the Brant breeds in the high Arctic tundra and winters along both coasts. The Brant along the Atlantic have light gray bellies, while those off the Pacific Coast have black bellies and were at one time considered a separate species.

Description

• Size: 56-66 cm (22-26 in)
• Weight: 1200-1800 g (42.36-63.54 ounces)

• Medium to small goose.
• Black head, neck, and chest.
• White, partly broken collar.

Sex Differences

Sexes look alike.

Immature

Similar to adult, but without white collar and with white scaling on back.

Similar Species

• Canada Goose has large white cheek patch and pale or brown breast.

Sound

A soft, throaty rolling "cr-r-r-rk."

Range

Range Map

© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

About the map

Summer Range

Breeds in high Arctic of Alaska and Canada.

Winter Range

Winters along both coasts from Alaska to Mexico and Massachusetts to North Carolina.

Other Names

Bernache cravant (French)
Branta negra (Spanish)
Brent Goose (British), Black Brant (western form) (English)

Sources used to construct this page:

1. Bellrose, F. C. 1976. Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA.
2. Reed, A., D. H. Ward, D. V. Derksen, and J. S. Sedinger. 1998. Brant (Branta bernicla). In The Birds of North America, No. 337 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.