Red-breasted Goose

Branta ruficollis

Vulnerable · IUCN Red List

VUVulnerablePlantsGrasslandPlatform nestLarge · 1.2 kg

What the Red-breasted Goose sounds like

Sonogram of the Red-breasted Goose: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Grégoire Chauvot · Call, flight call · Genève, Genève, Genève, Switzerland · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Red-breasted Goose: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Call · Vains, Manche, Normandy, France · CC0 · via xeno-canto
Sonogram of the Red-breasted Goose: time runs left to right, pitch bottom to top, and the brighter the mark the louder the sound.
Recorded by Pascal Christe · Song · Genève, Genève, Genève, Switzerland · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

ID tip

All the species of the genus Branta are distinguished by their dark sooty colour, relieved by white, and as a distinction from the grey geese of the genus Anser. This bird measures 53–56 cm (21–22 in) in length, 1.16–1.35 m (3.8–4.4 ft) in wingspan. It is sexually dimorphic, with males being slightly heavier than females, weighing 1.2–1.62 kg (2.6–3.6 lb) and 1.05–1.13 kg (2.3–2.5 lb), respectively. This brightly marked species is unmistakable, but can be surprisingly difficult to find amongst brant geese. At long distances, the red of the breast tends to look dark.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see the Red-breasted Goose

One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 9 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is October, the month with the most records.

Where to see the Red-breasted Goose

Regular rangeRare visitor

The map shades 37 countries with regular records, and 8 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.

Recorded as a rare visitor in Spain, Iceland, United States, Ireland, Israel, Slovenia, Iran, South Korea.

About the Red-breasted Goose

The red-breasted goose is a brightly marked species of goose in the genus Branta from Eurasia. It is currently classified as vulnerable by the IUCN.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Easily confused with

Side by side: Nene vs Red-breasted Goose · Freckled Duck vs Red-breasted Goose · Barnacle Goose vs Red-breasted Goose · Cackling Goose vs Red-breasted Goose

Learn the Red-breasted Goose in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Every photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.