Brant

The Brant is a small, compact sea goose with a dark, sooty body, a black head and neck, and a small white necklace-like patch on the sides of the neck (more complete and bolder in some populations than others). It is closely tied to coastal waters year-round, rarely straying far inland, and is especially dependent on eelgrass beds for food during the nonbreeding season.

Breeding on high Arctic tundra near the coast, Brant migrate in tight flocks to temperate coastal bays and estuaries for the winter, where large concentrations can be found feeding on marine vegetation in shallow water.

Key field marks

• Small size for a goose, short neck, and a stubby black bill
• Black head, neck, and breast with a small white patch on the sides of the neck
• Dark brownish-gray body, paler in some populations ('gray-bellied' vs 'black-bellied' forms)

Similar species

The Canada Goose is much larger with a bold white chinstrap patch under the chin rather than a small neck-side patch, and a longer neck. No other small goose shares the Brant's combination of an all-dark body and small white neck mark.

Brant breed on Arctic tundra close to the coast across northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and parts of Russia, nesting on the ground near the sea. They are strongly coastal in winter as well, favoring sheltered bays, estuaries, and lagoons with extensive eelgrass beds along both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America, as well as parts of Europe and Asia, rarely venturing far from salt water.

Behavior

Brant are highly social, migrating and wintering in large, tight flocks, and their movements are closely tied to the availability of eelgrass and other marine vegetation.

Voice

Gives a low, rolling, guttural 'cr-r-r-uk' call, often heard continuously from feeding or flying flocks.

Feeding

Primarily eelgrass and other marine algae and plants, grazed in shallow coastal waters and exposed mudflats at low tide.

Nesting

Nests on the ground on Arctic tundra near the coast, often in loose colonies; clutches typically hold 3-5 eggs.