Brent Goose vs Trumpeter Swan
Branta bernicla compared with Cygnus buccinator
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brent Goose | Trumpeter Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Branta bernicla | Cygnus buccinator |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) | 125.1 cm (49.3 in) |
| Weight | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) | 9975.0 g (351.86 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … | Dabbles for seeds, invertebrates, and aquatic plants in shallow water; diet shifts between plant-rich and … |
| Clutch Size | 1-10 | 1-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
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.
Trumpeter Swan
Large deep-water lakes, slow rivers, and wetland complexes in western and interior North America from Alaska and Canada south to Oregon. Winters on ice-free rivers and coastal estuaries.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Trumpeter Swan
A deep, resonant, French-horn-like bugling 'oh-OH-oh'. The most musical of North American swans. Pairs sing in duet. Very different from the thin whistle of smaller swans.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Trumpeter Swan
Breeds in Alaska and northern Canada; winters along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts from the southern United States to Mexico.
Conservation Status
Brent Goose
Trumpeter Swan
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Trumpeter Swan
Entirely snow-white plumage in adults. All-black bill lacking yellow patch. Large size; heaviest North American bird. Neck held straight. Juveniles gray-brown, becoming white by second year. Sexes similar.
About These Birds
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.
Trumpeter Swan
North America's largest native waterfowl and one of the heaviest flying birds, with all-white plumage, a long neck, and all-black bill. Named for its resonant bugling call. Recovered from near extinction in the 20th century through active conservation. Breeds in northern wetlands.