Greylag Goose vs Brent Goose
Anser anser compared with Branta bernicla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Greylag Goose | Brent Goose |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anser anser | Branta bernicla |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 87.1 cm (34.3 in) | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) |
| Weight | 3297.5 g (116.32 oz) | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … |
| Clutch Size | 3-12 | 1-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Greylag Goose
Breeds on moorland, bogs, freshwater wetlands, and lake margins across Eurasia from Iceland to central Asia. Winters on estuaries, agricultural fields, and wetlands. Feral populations year-round in parks.
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
Greylag Goose
A deep, loud 'aahng' honking. The ancestral goose of domesticated geese; its call is the template for the classic 'goose honk'. Flocks are highly vocal in flight.
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
Greylag Goose
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Conservation Status
Greylag Goose
Brent Goose
How to Tell Them Apart
Greylag Goose
Large and heavy; uniformly gray-brown with pale feather fringes on back. Head and neck grayish-brown. Orange-pink bill; pink legs. Pale gray forewing conspicuous in flight. Ancestor of domestic geese.
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
Greylag Goose
The ancestor of most domestic geese, with grey-brown plumage, an orange bill, and pale grey forewing visible in flight. Large and boisterous; one of Europe's most familiar geese. Wild birds breed across Eurasia; re-introduced and feral populations now resident in many areas including city parks.
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.