Brent Goose vs Scaly-sided Merganser
Branta bernicla compared with Mergus squamatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brent Goose | Scaly-sided Merganser |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Branta bernicla | Mergus squamatus |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) | 51.2 cm (20.2 in) |
| Weight | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) | 1145.8 g (40.42 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … | Dives for fish in fast-flowing East Asian rivers. Endangered; highly piscivorous with serrated bill adapted … |
| Clutch Size | 1-10 | 4-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Brent Goose only
Scaly-sided Merganser only
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
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.
Scaly-sided Merganser
Male gives a quiet, low grunting call; female produces a guttural, croaking series. Endangered; calls are poorly known; similar to Red-breasted Merganser but quieter in Manchurian forest rivers.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Scaly-sided Merganser
Breeds in southern Russia, northern China, and the Russian Far East. Winters in southern China and Korea. Found on fast-flowing forested rivers.
Conservation Status
Brent Goose
Scaly-sided Merganser
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.
Scaly-sided Merganser
Male has iridescent dark green head with long flat crest, white body with distinctive black scaly pattern on flanks, and black back with white patches. Female has brownish-red crested head …
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.
Scaly-sided Merganser
A medium-large merganser (~1.1 kg) in family Anatidae, distinguished by scaly flank patterning and a shaggy crest. Breeds along fast, clear rivers in old-growth forests of far eastern Russia and China; winters in rivers of East and Southeast Asia. Feeds on fish. Endangered due to deforestation, river pollution, and human disturbance of nesting sites.