Light Bellied Brent Goose - Branta bernicla hrota
Winter migrant from high-Arctic Canada. Most occur in Ireland between October and April. The brent goose is the smallest goose which occurs regularly in north-west Europe.This population winters almost entirely in Ireland, with small numbers in parts of Britain and France.
During the winter, it feeds mostly on eel-grass, which grows on muddy estuaries, and also on grasslands, usually when coastal supplies have been depleted at estuarine sites.
The Dark bellied Brent is a rare winter visitor to Ireland from Siberia from October to March. Very similar to the much commoner Light-bellied Brent Goose and care is needed to separate the two species. Dark-bellied Brent can identified by the darker and much more extensive grey colouring on the flanks and back. The white flank patch that is very obvious in Light-bellied Brent Goose is reduced to a stripe along the flanks. The majority of Dark-bellied Brent Geese winter in the Netherlands, northern France and the United Kingdom.
The Black Brant is a rare winter visitor to Ireland usually associating with Light-bellied Brent Geese. Black Brant breeds in Arctic Canada, Alaska and east Siberia. Siberian birds are annual winter visitors to south-east England with Dark-bellied Brents, whereas Canadian birds reach Ireland with Pale-bellied Brents. Very similar to Light-bellied Brent Goose and care is needed to distinguish the two species.
Black Brants can be identified by the overall much darker appearance, with very little contrast between the colour of the neck and that of the back and belly. The white flank patch is also much more extensive in comparison to Dark-bellied Brent.
Black Brants also have a much larger white neck patch than either Light-bellied or Dark-bellied Brent forming almost a complete collar.https://www.birdguides.com/articles/identification/brent-geese-photo-id-guide/
Light Bellied Brent Goose - Branta bernicla hrota
Winter migrant from high-Arctic Canada. Most occur in Ireland between October and April. The brent goose is the smallest goose which occurs regularly in north-west Europe.This population winters almost entirely in Ireland, with small numbers in parts of Britain and France.
During the winter, it feeds mostly on eel-grass, which grows on muddy estuaries, and also on grasslands, usually when coastal supplies have been depleted at estuarine sites.
The Dark bellied Brent is a rare winter visitor to Ireland from Siberia from October to March. Very similar to the much commoner Light-bellied Brent Goose and care is needed to separate the two species. Dark-bellied Brent can identified by the darker and much more extensive grey colouring on the flanks and back. The white flank patch that is very obvious in Light-bellied Brent Goose is reduced to a stripe along the flanks. The majority of Dark-bellied Brent Geese winter in the Netherlands, northern France and the United Kingdom.
The Black Brant is a rare winter visitor to Ireland usually associating with Light-bellied Brent Geese. Black Brant breeds in Arctic Canada, Alaska and east Siberia. Siberian birds are annual winter visitors to south-east England with Dark-bellied Brents, whereas Canadian birds reach Ireland with Pale-bellied Brents. Very similar to Light-bellied Brent Goose and care is needed to distinguish the two species.
Black Brants can be identified by the overall much darker appearance, with very little contrast between the colour of the neck and that of the back and belly. The white flank patch is also much more extensive in comparison to Dark-bellied Brent.
Black Brants also have a much larger white neck patch than either Light-bellied or Dark-bellied Brent forming almost a complete collar.https://www.birdguides.com/articles/identification/brent-geese-photo-id-guide/