Yellow-billed Teal vs Brent Goose
Anas flavirostris compared with Branta bernicla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Yellow-billed Teal | Brent Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas flavirostris | Branta bernicla |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 38.2 cm (15.0 in) | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) |
| Weight | 609.0 g (21.48 oz) | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) |
| Diet | Dives for molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated by … | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … |
| Clutch Size | 5-13 | 1-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Yellow-billed Teal
Freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, and bogs from sea level to 4,500 m across South America from Colombia and Venezuela south to Tierra del Fuego. Common at high-altitude Andean lakes and puna wetlands.
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
Yellow-billed Teal
Male utters a high-pitched, clear whistle; female gives a soft, muffled quack. Quiet calls suit the high-altitude Andean wetlands where this teal forages in shallow freshwater.
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
Yellow-billed Teal
Breeds in northern Canada and Alaska; winters on the Atlantic coast from Labrador to South Carolina and in Chesapeake Bay.
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Conservation Status
Yellow-billed Teal
Brent Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Yellow-billed Teal
Brownish-gray body finely mottled with dark spots. Diagnostic bright yellow bill with dark culmen stripe. Speculum iridescent green. Head grayish-brown, slightly darker crown. Sexes similar. Andean and Patagonian lakes.
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
Yellow-billed Teal
A small brown teal with a distinctive bright yellow bill, dark crown, green speculum with white borders, and orange legs. Widespread in South American highland and lowland wetlands. One of the most common ducks in the Andes. Gregarious; forms large flocks outside breeding season.
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.