Brent Goose vs Ruddy Shelduck
Branta bernicla compared with Tadorna ferruginea
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brent Goose | Ruddy Shelduck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Branta bernicla | Tadorna ferruginea |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 63.9 cm (25.2 in) | 71.1 cm (28.0 in) |
| Weight | 1335.0 g (47.09 oz) | 1318.3333333333333 g (46.50 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … | Feeds on seeds, plant material, and aquatic invertebrates; dabbles in wetlands; diet varies between seasons … |
| Clutch Size | 1-10 | 8-16 |
| 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.
Ruddy Shelduck
Steppe lakes, river valleys, inland saline and freshwater wetlands from southeastern Europe and North Africa east through Central Asia to China and Mongolia. Winters on lakes and rivers in South and Southeast 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.
Ruddy Shelduck
A loud, resonant bugling 'aakh' from males; females give a rapid cackling 'kak-kak-kak'. Call carries far across open Asian steppe and river valleys.
Geographic Range & Migration
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Ruddy Shelduck
Breeds in wetlands across Eurasia; winters from sub-Saharan Africa to South and Southeast Asia. Broad wintering distribution.
Conservation Status
Brent Goose
Ruddy Shelduck
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.
Ruddy Shelduck
Warm orange-rufous overall plumage; paler buffy head. Males have narrow black neck collar in breeding season. Black tail and primaries. White wing coverts and iridescent green speculum visible in flight. …
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.
Ruddy Shelduck
A large orange-brown shelduck with a pale buff head, black neck ring (male only), white wing patches, and bright green speculum. Widespread from Morocco and southeastern Europe east to China. Sacred to Buddhists in Tibet. Nests in burrows, rock crevices, and ruins.