LC
Brent Goose Branta bernicla



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
AERC TAC. 2003. AERC TAC Checklist of bird taxa occurring in Western Palearctic region, 15th Draft. Available at: http://www.aerc.eu/DOCS/Bird_taxa_of_the_WP15.xls.
Cramp, S. and Simmons, K.E.L. (eds). 1977-1994. Handbook of the birds of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The birds of the western Palearctic. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - -

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2021 Least Concern
2016 Least Concern
2012 Least Concern
2009 Least Concern
2008 Least Concern
2004 Least Concern
2000 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status full migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 22,100,000 km2 medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 71,600,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 490000 mature individuals poor inferred 2020
Population trend unknown - - -
Generation length 10.4 years - - -

Population justification: The global population is inferred to number 490,000 mature individuals (Partners in Flight 2020). The European population is estimated at 1,500-1,800 pairs, which equates to 3,000-3,600 mature individuals (BirdLife International 2015).

Trend justification: The overall population trend is uncertain, as some populations are decreasing, while others are stable, have unknown trends or are increasing (Wetlands International 2020). The population in North America is increasing (Meehan et al. 2018; Partners in Flight 2020). The European population trend is unknown (BirdLife International 2015).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Algeria extant vagrant
Austria extant vagrant
Barbados extant vagrant
Belarus extant vagrant
Belgium extant native yes
Bermuda (to UK) extant native
Bulgaria extant vagrant
Canada extant native yes yes yes
China (mainland) extant native yes
Croatia extant vagrant
Czechia extant vagrant
Denmark extant native yes
Egypt extant vagrant
Faroe Islands (to Denmark) extant vagrant
Finland extant native yes
France extant native yes
Germany extant native yes
Greece extant vagrant
Greenland (to Denmark) extant native yes
Hungary extant vagrant
Iceland extant vagrant
Ireland extant native yes
Italy extant vagrant
Japan extant native yes
Kazakhstan extant vagrant
Latvia extant native yes
Luxembourg extant vagrant
Mexico extant native yes
Morocco extant vagrant
Netherlands extant native yes
North Korea extant native yes
Norway extant native yes
Poland extant native yes
Portugal extant vagrant
Puerto Rico (to USA) extant vagrant
Romania extant vagrant
Russia extant native yes
Russia (Asian) extant native yes
Russia (Central Asian) extant native yes
Russia (European) extant native yes yes
Senegal extant vagrant
Slovakia extant vagrant
South Korea extant vagrant
Spain extant native yes
St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) extant vagrant
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) extant native yes
Switzerland extant vagrant
Taiwan, China extant vagrant
Tunisia extant vagrant
Türkiye extant vagrant
United Kingdom extant native yes
USA extant native yes yes yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Canada Akimiski Island
Canada Akimiski Strait
Canada Amherst Island
Canada Babbage and Spring River Deltas
Canada Baie des Escoumins et Grandes-Bergeronnes
Canada Baynes Sound
Canada Boundary Bay - Roberts Bank - Sturgeon Bank (Fraser River Estuary)
Canada Cape Henrietta Maria
Canada East Point
Canada Eastern Cape Sable Island
Canada Foxe Basin Islands
Canada Grand Manan Archipelago
Canada Hannah Bay
Canada Little Qualicum Estuary to Nanoose Bay
Canada Mackenzie River Delta
Canada McIntyre Beach and Rose Spit
Canada Netitishi Point
Canada North Point
Canada Northeast James Bay Coast
Canada Queen Maud Gulf
Canada Thomsen River
Denmark Agger Tange and Krik Vig
Denmark Ballum og Husum Enge, Kamper strandenge
Denmark Fanø
Denmark Harboøre Tange, Plet Enge & Gjeller Sø
Denmark Løgstør Bredning
Denmark Mandø
Denmark Nissum Bredning
Denmark Parts of Randers and Mariager Fjords
Denmark Rømø
Denmark Sydfynske Ø-hav
Denmark Tøndermarsken, Magisterkog and Rudbøl Sø
Denmark Vadehavet (Wadden Sea)
Denmark Venø and Venø Sund
France Anse du Fiers d'Ars en Ré
France Baie de Bourgneuf et marais breton
France Baie de Saint-Brieuc
France Baie de Vilaine
France Baie des Veys et Marais du Cotentin
France Baie du Mont Saint Michel et Ile des Landes
France Bassin d'Arcachon et Banc d'Arguin
France Cap Gris-nez
France Golfe du Morbihan et Etier de Penerf
France Havre de la Sienne
France Ile d'Oléron, marais de Brouage-Saint-Agnant
France Jaudy et Sept-Iles
France Marais poitevin et baie de l'Aiguillon
France Traicts et marais salants de la Presqu'île Guérandaise
Germany Elbe marshes between Stade and Otterndorf
Germany Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park
Germany Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park (includes the Halligs, Kniepsand/Amrum, Lister Koog, Rantumbecken, Rickelsb
Greenland (to Denmark) Kilen
Iceland Alftafjordur-Hofsstadavogur
Iceland Alftanes-Akrar
Iceland Breidafjördur
Iceland Grunnafjordur
Iceland Hvalfjardareyri-Laxarvogur
Iceland Skerjafjordur
Ireland Baldoyle Bay
Ireland Bannow Bay
Ireland Broadhaven, Blacksod and Tullaghan Bays and parts of the Mullet peninsula
Ireland Carlingford Lough
Ireland Castlemaine Harbour
Ireland Cummeen Strand (Sligo Harbour)
Ireland Donegal Bay
Ireland Dublin Bay
Ireland Dundalk Bay
Ireland Dungarvan Harbour
Ireland Inner Galway Bay
Ireland Killala Bay
Ireland Lady's Island Lake
Ireland Lough Foyle
Ireland Lough Swilly including Blanket Nook and Inch Lake
Ireland Malahide/ Broadmeadow Estuary
Ireland North Wicklow coastal marshes
Ireland Rogerstown estuary
Ireland Seagrange Park
Ireland The Cull and Killag
Ireland Tralee Bay and Barrow Harbour
Ireland Tramore Backstrand
Ireland Trawbreaga Bay
Ireland Wexford Harbour and Slobs
Japan Hakodate bay, Kameda south coast
Japan Lake Furen, On-netou
Japan Mutsu bay
Japan Northern Shimokita coast
Japan Notsuke, Odaitou
Japan South Sanriku coast
Mexico Área de San Quintín
Mexico Complejo Lagunar Ojo de Liebre
Mexico Complejo Lagunar San Ignacio
Mexico Isla Tiburón-Canal Infiernillo-Estero Santa Rosa
Mexico Zonas Húmedas de Yávaros
Netherlands Grevelingen
Netherlands Oosterschelde
Netherlands Wadden Sea
Russia (Asian) Chaun delta
Russia (Asian) Forty Islands
Russia (Asian) Gusikha river basin and lower Balakhnya river
Russia (Asian) Izvestiy Tsik islands
Russia (Asian) Karaga bay
Russia (Asian) Kavacha lagoon
Russia (Asian) Khadyn lake
Russia (Asian) Kolyma delta
Russia (Asian) Kytalyk
Russia (Asian) Lena delta
Russia (Asian) Lower Anadyr lowlands
Russia (Asian) Lower Leningradskaya river
Russia (Asian) Lower Nizhnyaya Taymyra river
Russia (Asian) Malamvayam lagoon
Russia (Asian) Meechkyn spit and adjacent plain
Russia (Asian) Muna-Besyuke
Russia (Asian) Nordenshel'da archipelago
Russia (Asian) Novosibirski archipelago
Russia (Asian) Oleniy island and Yuratskaya bay
Russia (Asian) Sayan reservoir (Tuva part)
Russia (Asian) Wrangel and Herald Islands
Russia (Asian) Yana delta
Russia (Asian) Zhupanovskiy lagoon
Russia (European) Berezoviye islands of Vyborg Bay
Russia (European) Delta of River Severnaya Dvina
Russia (European) Torna-Shoina watershed
Russia (European) Unskaya bay
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) Adventdalen & Adventfjorden
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) Bjørnøya (Bear Island)
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) Forlandet National Park
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) Inner parts of Kongsfjorden
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) Northwest Spitsbergen National Park
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands (to Norway) Southeast Svalbard Nature Reserve
Sweden Ottenby
United Kingdom Carlingford Lough
United Kingdom Chichester and Langstone Harbours
United Kingdom Dundrum Inner Bay
United Kingdom Killough Bay
United Kingdom Larne Lough
United Kingdom Lindisfarne
United Kingdom Lough Foyle and River Foyle
United Kingdom Mid-Essex Coast
United Kingdom North Norfolk Coast
United Kingdom Outer Ards
United Kingdom Portsmouth Harbour
United Kingdom Solent Marshes and Southampton Water
United Kingdom Strangford Lough and islands
United Kingdom The Wash
USA Barrier Island/Lagoon System
USA Cape Island and Higbee Beach Wildlife Management Area
USA Humboldt Bay
USA Izembek-Moffet-Kinzarof Lagoons
USA Kasegaluk Lagoon
USA Teshekpuk Lake-E. Dease Inlet

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Artificial/Terrestrial Pastureland suitable non-breeding
Grassland Tundra major breeding
Marine Intertidal Mud Flats and Salt Flats suitable non-breeding
Marine Intertidal Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) suitable non-breeding
Altitude   Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species mortality
Climate change & severe weather Temperature extremes Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Whole (>90%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Problematic native species/diseases - Vulpes lagopus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) No decline Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Viral/prion-induced diseases - Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1 subtype) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Minority (<50%) Unknown Unknown
Stresses
Species mortality
Residential & commercial development Commercial & industrial areas Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) No decline Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation
Transportation & service corridors Roads & railroads Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Species disturbance

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national
Pets/display animals, horticulture international
Sport hunting/specimen collecting subsistence, national

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Brent Goose Branta bernicla. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/brent-goose-branta-bernicla on 23/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 23/11/2024.