Brent Goose vs Blue-winged Teal
Branta bernicla compared with Spatula discors
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brent Goose | Blue-winged Teal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Branta bernicla | Spatula discors |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) | 35.7 cm (14.1 in) |
| Weight | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) | 400.5 g (14.13 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … | Dabbles for aquatic invertebrates and seeds; diet shifts between plant-heavy and invertebrate-heavy phases seasonally. |
| Clutch Size | 1-10 | 6-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Brent Goose only
None
Blue-winged Teal 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.
Blue-winged Teal
Breeds on prairie wetlands, lakes, and marshes across North America. Winters on freshwater and coastal wetlands from the southern United States through Central America to South America.
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.
Blue-winged Teal
Male gives a high, thin whistle; female produces a rapid, descending quacking laugh. The nasal, laughing female call is immediately recognizable in North American freshwater marshes.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Blue-winged Teal
Breeds in tundra of northern Russia and Alaska; winters on the open North Pacific from Alaska to Japan and California.
Conservation Status
Brent Goose
Blue-winged Teal
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.
Blue-winged Teal
Males have slate-blue head with bold white crescent before eye. Body brown with dark spots. Pale blue forewing patch and green speculum conspicuous. Females mottled brown with pale loral spot. …
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.
Blue-winged Teal
A small brown teal. Males have a slate-grey head with a large white crescent before the eye and a striking pale blue-grey wing patch visible in flight. One of North America's most abundant ducks. Long-distance migrant; winters from the southern United States to South America.