AMERICAN BRANT 



103 



FIELD MARKS 



(A maritime species of the Atlantic coast.) 

 ON THE WATER. A very small, dark-appear- 

 ing goose with a short, black neck and whitish 

 sides; not much larger than a Mallard. It sits as 

 lightly on the water as a gull, with tail upraised, 

 showing the white under tail-coverts. The head is 

 poised gracefully, and the bird pivots frequently 

 as it feeds, demonstrating great beauty of move- 

 ment. The Black Brant of the Pacific coast is simi- 

 lar, but on the water the sides do not show quite 

 as much white (this is probably a poor field mark 

 in most cases). 



IN FLIGHT. The short, black neck and fore- 

 parts contrast sharply with the white breast; the 

 white V over the tail formed by the upper tail- 

 coverts is very noticeable, and the wings appear 

 long and pointed. The breast is much lighter than 

 that of the Black Brant. The flight is in long, un- 

 dulating, curving lines or in irregular formation. 



VOICE. Guttural, car-r-rup, and r-r-r-rouk, and 

 r-r-rup, and ruk-ruk, a loud metallis chronk, chronk, 

 a double note torock and an alarm cry, wauk, also 

 a confused babbling audible at a great distance. 



LIFE STORY 



The American Brant, or white-bellied brant, is a true sea goose, be- 

 ing seldom encountered away from salt water. It is an Atlantic coast 

 bird, an American variety of the Brant or Brent Goose of Europe. Rarely 

 is it found on the Pacific coast where the Black Brant, which differs from 

 it mainly by being darker on the underparts, replaces it. Both birds are 

 small, short-necked, long-winged geese, about the size of a Mallard duck. 

 There is evidence that the two species may interbreed, as many inter- 

 mediate specimens are recorded, and their Arctic breeding ranges meet 

 or overlap. Of their appearance, Allan Brooks (1934) says: "No other 

 ducks or geese can compare with brant in sheer beauty of movement. On 

 the water they sit as lightly as gulls, the tail upraised and the neat little 

 head poised on the graceful neck. Seeking their food, they pick daintily 

 at the water and pivot swiftly to do so. On the wing they are at their 

 best." 



On their breeding grounds in the far north these geese are often 

 found nesting along with Eider Ducks. The nests are substantially built 

 of mosses, lichens, and other vegetable matter, with a plentiful lining of 

 light greyish down. On shingle banks, where little nesting material is 

 available, the nest may be nothing more than a hollow among the stones, 

 lined with down and perhaps a few bits of seaweed or lichen. The num- 

 ber of eggs varies from 3 to 8, but usually 3 to 5 comprise the set. The 



