Chestnut Teal vs Brent Goose
Anas castanea compared with Branta bernicla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chestnut Teal | Brent Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas castanea | Branta bernicla |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 40.4 cm (15.9 in) | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) |
| Weight | 662.25 g (23.36 oz) | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow water; diet heavier in molluscs in … | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … |
| Clutch Size | 5-17 | 1-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Chestnut Teal
Coastal and estuarine wetlands, saltmarshes, estuaries, and coastal freshwater lakes in southeastern and southwestern Australia. More closely tied to coastal habitats than most Australian ducks.
Brent Goose
Breeds on high-Arctic tundra; winters on estuaries, coastal mudflats, saltmarshes, and sea-grass beds along Atlantic and Pacific coastlines. One of the most strictly coastal wintering geese.
Song & Call Comparison
Chestnut Teal
Female produces a loud, emphatic quacking series; male gives a high, whistled note. The female's resonant quacking call is a familiar sound of southern Australian coastal wetlands.
Brent Goose
A low, guttural 'rronk' or 'ronk-ronk' from flocks. Soft nasal calls in feeding groups. A subtle, understated call for a goose — less loud than most Anser geese.
Geographic Range & Migration
Chestnut Teal
Breeds in the north-central prairies; winters along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States.
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Conservation Status
Chestnut Teal
Brent Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Chestnut Teal
Strong dimorphism. Males have iridescent dark green head; rich chestnut underparts with white flank patch. Brown back; dark undertail. Females mottled brown with pale face. Iridescent green speculum. Australian coastal.
Brent Goose
Small; mostly black head, neck, and breast. Small white neck-patch on adults. Back dark brownish-gray; belly pale gray to white depending on subspecies. White undertail coverts. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
Chestnut Teal
A small duck with males having a gorgeous iridescent green head, rich chestnut body, and green speculum with white border. Females are brown and hard to distinguish from Grey Teal. Endemic to Australia; common in coastal southeastern and southwestern Australia.
Brent Goose
A small dark-bodied goose with a black head and neck, small white neck patches, and pale grey belly. Migrates between high-Arctic breeding grounds and temperate coastal wintering areas. Feeds on eel-grass and saltmarsh vegetation in winter. Three subspecies differ in belly coloration.