Brent Goose vs Whooper Swan
Branta bernicla compared with Cygnus cygnus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brent Goose | Whooper Swan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Branta bernicla | Cygnus cygnus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) | 116.4 cm (45.8 in) |
| Weight | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) | 10350.0 g (365.09 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … | Dabbling duck feeding on seeds, aquatic insects, and plant material; forages in shallow wetlands; diet … |
| Clutch Size | 1-10 | 2-12 |
| 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.
Whooper Swan
Breeds on boreal and subarctic lakes and boggy pools from Iceland and Scandinavia across northern Eurasia to Siberia. Winters on large lakes, estuaries, rivers, and agricultural fields in northwestern 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.
Whooper Swan
A loud, ringing 'wh-OOH-wh-OOH' bugle. Less high-pitched than Trumpeter; similar to Tundra Swan but deeper. Pairs call in musical antiphony. Carries very far over water.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Whooper Swan
Breeds in Arctic tundra from Siberia to western Canada; winters along the Pacific coast from British Columbia to Mexico.
Conservation Status
Brent Goose
Whooper 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.
Whooper Swan
All-white plumage. Long yellow bill with large wedge-shaped yellow patch extending past nostrils, contrasting with black tip. Long flat head profile. Holds neck erect and straight. Juveniles pale gray-brown.
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.
Whooper Swan
A large all-white swan with a long neck and a distinctive yellow-and-black bill pattern—a large yellow wedge extending to the nostrils. The national bird of Finland. Calls with a bugling whooping resonance. Breeds in Eurasian subarctic; winters in northwest Europe and East Asia.