Brent Goose vs Smew
Branta bernicla comparado con Mergellus albellus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Atributo | Brent Goose | Smew |
|---|---|---|
| Nombre científico | Branta bernicla | Mergellus albellus |
| Orden | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Familia | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Estado de conservación | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longitud | — | — |
| Envergadura | 63,9 cm (25.2 in) | 37,5 cm (14.8 in) |
| Peso | 1335,0 g (47.09 oz) | 658,75 g (23.24 oz) |
| Dieta | Primarily herbivorous; grazes aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges; swans upend in shallow water for submerged … | Dives for small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans in freshwater and coastal habitats. Uses serrated … |
| Tamaño de la puesta | 1-10 | 5-11 |
| 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.
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.
Smew
Male gives a soft, crow-like krr note; female produces a grating, rasping call. Both sexes are relatively quiet; the male's harsh, crow-like call is surprisingly low for such a small …
Geographic Range & Migration
Brent Goose
Breeds across boreal and subarctic Canada and Alaska; winters in the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America.
Smew
Breeds in boreal forests of northern Europe and Siberia. Winters on large lakes and coasts from western Europe east to Japan and China.
Estado de conservación
Brent Goose
Smew
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.
Smew
Male is largely white with black eye patch, black lines on back, and fine black lines on flanks creating a cracked-ice pattern. Female has chestnut-red head, white cheeks, and grey …
About These Birds
Brent Goose
El barnacla brenta o barnacla negruzca es un pequeño ganso marino de color negro y gris oscuro con un pequeño parche blanco a los lados del cuello. Cría en la tundra ártica y migra a zonas costeras templadas del hemisferio norte en invierno, donde se alimenta principalmente de zostera, un tipo de hierba marina. Es el único ganso que pasa el invierno en ambientes exclusivamente marinos.
Smew
La serreta chica o smew es el más pequeño y quizás el más hermoso de los mergansos. El macho en plumaje nupcial es casi enteramente blanco con finas líneas negras y parches negros en la cara. La hembra tiene la cabeza castaña con las mejillas blancas y el cuerpo gris. Cría en bosques boreales de Europa y Asia, y pasa el invierno en lagos y ríos de Europa occidental.