Skip to main content

Brant Identification

Looking for ID Help?

Our free app offers quick ID help with global coverage.

Try Merlin Bird ID

The Four Keys to ID

  • Size & Shape

    A compact, small goose with a stubby bill and a relatively short neck compared to most geese.

    Relative Size

    Larger than a Mallard, smaller than a Canada Goose.

    Relative Sizegoose or largergoose-sized or larger

    Measurements
    • Male
      • Length: 23.3-24.5 in (59.2-62.2 cm)
      • Weight: 41.1-61.3 oz (1165-1737 g)
      • Wingspan: 41.3-42.5 in (105-108 cm)
    • Female

Regional Differences

In eastern North America, the Atlantic Brant has a mottled brown-and-white belly (subspecies hrota; known in the United Kingdom as Light-bellied Brent Goose). In the West, the much darker Black Brant (subspecies nigricans) is common. Birders around Puget Sound may also see a gray-bellied form, often called Gray-bellied Brant, which breeds only in the Parry Islands of northwestern Canada. Other subspecies occur in the species Old World range.