Brent Goose vs Tundra Swan
Branta bernicla compared with Cygnus columbianus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brent Goose | Tundra Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Branta bernicla | Cygnus columbianus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) | 107.6 cm (42.4 in) |
| Weight | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) | 6675.0 g (235.45 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … | Eats seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates; filter-feeds in shallow water; diet becomes more invertebrate-heavy in … |
| Clutch Size | 1-10 | 3-6 |
| 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.
Tundra Swan
Breeds on Arctic tundra ponds and lakes in Alaska, Canada, and Siberia. Winters on coastal estuaries, shallow bays, agricultural fields, and freshwater lakes in North America, Europe, and eastern Asia.
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.
Tundra Swan
A high, bugling 'who-who-who' with a musical quality. North American subspecies (Whistling Swan) produces a higher-pitched call than European Bewick's Swan (Cygnus c. bewickii).
Geographic Range & Migration
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Tundra Swan
Breeds in the northern Great Plains; winters along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida. Uses the Central and Mississippi flyways.
Conservation Status
Brent Goose
Tundra 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.
Tundra Swan
All-white plumage; bill black with small yellow patch at base near eye. Neck shorter and rounder-headed than Trumpeter Swan. Juveniles grayish-brown. Bewick's race has more extensive yellow on bill.
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.
Tundra Swan
A medium-sized white swan with a black bill often marked with a small yellow spot at the base. Migrates in large flocks between Arctic tundra breeding grounds and temperate wintering areas. Two subspecies: Bewick's Swan in the Old World and Whistling Swan in the New World.