Campbell Teal vs Brent Goose
Anas nesiotis compared with Branta bernicla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Campbell Teal | Brent Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas nesiotis | Branta bernicla |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.4 cm (9.6 in) | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) |
| Weight | 358.75 g (12.65 oz) | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) |
| Diet | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet varies with season. | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … |
| Clutch Size | 5-6 | 1-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Campbell Teal
Restricted to Campbell Island and Dent Island in the subantarctic New Zealand group. Dense tussock grassland, rocky shores, and freshwater streams. Nocturnal or crepuscular. Highly sedentary.
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
Campbell Teal
Female produces a very soft quacking note; male gives a faint squeak. Near-silent; rarely vocalizes; the reduced call apparatus mirrors the species' severely limited wingspan and near-flightlessness.
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
Campbell Teal
Breeds in sub-Arctic freshwater lakes of Canada; winters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California.
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Conservation Status
Campbell Teal
Brent Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Campbell Teal
Very dark brown plumage; males have iridescent green head gloss and white eye-ring. Females dark brown with white eye-ring. Flightless; tiny vestigial wings. Recovered from near-extinction on Campbell Island, New …
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
Campbell Teal
A tiny flightless teal with dark brown plumage in females and males with greenish-black head. Endemic to Campbell Island, New Zealand. Nearly extinct; reintroduced after eradication of Norway rats from the island. Nocturnal; feeds on invertebrates at freshwater sources.
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.