I have selected Brant to be the first
featured species for our Internet web page as they have clearly become
my favorite. Even after almost 20 years of working with them, both in
captivity and in the wild, I'm still learning more about their habits
and needs, and have been repeatedly amazed by the uniqueness that
permits them to fill their place in the world of migratory waterfowl.
In the Wild
Alternatively stringing out in long undulating lines skimming the wave
tops, and balling up into dense flocks determined to reach some
preprogrammed destination as rapidly as possible, migrating Brant visit
the coastal bays of both North America and Eurasia. Their goal to
escape the harsh winter weather of their natal arctic tundra, and to
obtain enough sustenance to allow them to return north again in
breeding condition come early spring. They are a sight wonderful to
behold, restlessly calling, squabbling, and moving about, then resting
peacefully in sometimes large flocks on some quiet, sheltered bay, or
on an exposed gravel bar, frequently near the mouth of a river and
revealed by low tide. There have been reports of some spectacular
migrations, such as the Pacific Black Brant that reach the Baja
Peninsula in Mexico just 60 hours after leaving a staging area at
Izembeck Bay in southwest Alaska. Another is the migration of Light
Bellied Brant all the way to Ireland's many lochs from Bathurst and
other Islands in Canada's Northwest Territories. Just one island away
from Bathurst, on Mellville Island, both Light Bellied and Black Brant
go the opposite way to winter on Padilla and Samish Bays in
Washington's Puget Sound.
Eelgrass is the most sought after food, however it has disappeared or
been greatly reduced in some areas due to pollution and other
environmental changes. In some of these areas Brant have disappeared,
while in others they have adapted to an alternative diet such as sea
lettuce, sea cabbage, salt marsh grass and the lawn grass of coastal
roadways, gardens, and golf courses. This adaptation is most apparent
along the coast of the state of New Jersey, and in Maryland and
Virginia, in the vicinity of Chesapeake Bay.
Spring thaw brings the Brant back north to their natal nesting areas,
where serious territorial defense and nesting begins. Most nesting
occurs in low lying tundra wetland areas near the seacoast in dense
colonies, however on Mellville Island, in the Northwest Territories, my
companions and I found isolated nests on mountain sides many miles from
any coast. For many years it was believed that Brant could only nest
after attaining an age of 3 years, however in captivity the odd
exception has been found to nest at the age of two. Brant egg clutches
of from two to five eggs are common, with an occasional nest containing
only one, or up to six eggs. Fertility in the wild does not appear to
be a problem like it can be in captivity, possibly due to the sudden
change in photoperiod as they migrate north and the intense competition
by males for nesting territories.
As soon as possible young Brant are led by both parents to the nearest
body of water for security, and then on to salt water. By mid August
the young Brant have grown their wing feathers and are on the wing. By
September the nesting areas are deserted as they start to stage
(assemble) for their migration south.
I consider myself very lucky to have been able to participate in
several expeditions to the arctic for the purpose of studying, banding,
installing tracking transmitters in one case, and egg collecting of
both the Dark Bellied (Pacific) and Light Bellied (Atlantic) races.
These expeditions ranged from the Seward Peninsula and Collville Delta
of Alaska, thru Canada's Northwest Territories to Hudson Bay. Along the
way I've been fortunate to make the acquaintance of some of the U.S.
and Canadian top Brant researchers, most of whom reinforced my belief
that through careful captive study I could ultimately add to the
available pool of knowledge about these magnificent geese. In a few
cases I was able to contribute directly to Brant researchers in
Wildlife Agencies, however it is still my dream to do far more, both
with Brant and with other waterfowl in need of intimate, hands-on
research.
Another advantage I've enjoyed is that through the International Wild
Waterfowl Association (IWWA), I've been able to compare experiences
with the handful of other consistently successful Brant propagators in
North America and Europe. Most of these good people are just as
dedicated to the study and protection of the various Brant subspecies
as I am, and have proven to be generous in sharing the benefits of
their experience.
Subspecies
There are three recognized subspecies of Brant Geese, The Black (dark
bellied) or Pacific Brant, the Light Bellied or Atlantic Brant and the
Russian Brant. Some knowledgeable people support the existence of a
fourth subspecies, the Lawrence Brant, although at this point my
experience has left me a bit unconvinced, and I tend to agree with
those who suspect that they are simply an intergrade between the
Atlantic and Pacific races. These birds have been discovered to nest on
Mellville and Prince Patrick Islands in the Northwest Territories, and
migrate mostly westward to the Puget Sound region of Washington State,
with a few scattered further down the Pacific coast. Not too many years
ago it was a surprise to find that Brant that appeared to be of the
Atlantic race were being harvested by hunters on the west coast.
Subsequent band returns showed these birds to have come from Melville
and Prince Patrick Islands.
My doubt about the existence of a distinct Lawrence subspecies is an
outgrowth of successful propagation of both darker and lighter bellied
birds from Mellville Island at my facilities. The darker birds
uniformly exhibit the thinner, more streamlined body shape of the
Pacific race, while the lighter bellied birds are blockier like the
Atlantic race. These characteristics have carried on to subsequent
generations without exception. Also, with only one exception, the
darker birds exhibit the wider and more complete neck ring, while the
lighter birds have the narrower and less complete neck rings consistent
with Atlantic Brant.
In Captivity
Although an aviculturist with just one pair of Black Brant occasionally
reports breeding success, this is the exception rather than the rule.
Most consistent captive breeding success of both the Black and Light
Bellied Brant has been reported from facilities housing multiple
breeding age pairs. When asked, I normally advise anyone contemplating
serious breeding of Brant to strive for at least 4 pair of breeding age
birds of the same subspecies. I base this on observations that make me
believe that the security in numbers and social interactions such as
territorial squabbles stimulate increased and more successful nesting.
Healthy Brant, both in the wild and in captivity seem to be almost
constantly on the move, calling to each other, fighting and chasing,
and seem to need this sort of constant interaction in order to
reproduce and avoid stress related illnesses.
One of the most important discoveries made by both Eldon Pace, another
Brant breeder, and I, was that by limiting our grown Brant to feed of
less than 14% protein content we reduced our losses from ameloidosis
and gout. Both of these maladies seem to be at least partially
contributed to by a accumulation of excess protein. This makes perfect
sense when you consider the Brant's adaptation to thrive on poor
quality forage, especially when in the arctic. Special care must be
exercised when keeping Brant with Seaducks, such as Eiders, to assure
that they have no access to the high protein seaduck feeds.
Young Brant seem to have a greater sensitivity to Coccidia than most of
the other geese, especially if one tries to parent rear them. The first
sign of a Coccidiosis problem is a weakness of the legs, and action
must be taken to treat them with an appropriate sulpher drug right away
to get them back on their feet before their muscles atrophy.
Like most geese, if kept free-range on open uncovered pastures and
ponds shared by local geese, they will ultimately be exposed to
gapeworm. If an infestation is suspected as indicated by coughing and
sneezing, I recommend that fecals be checked. Once gapeworm is
confirmed it can be easily treated by Ivermectin or Panacur per your
veterinarian's recommendation.
Another problem that must be overcome if Brant are to be successfully
kept and bred in an uncovered area is that of predators. Constant fear
caused by predator harassment can result in stress-related losses and
will most certainly deter nesting. Most ground-type predators can be
easily kept at bay by the installation of an electric cattle fence wire
about 18 inches from the ground and 1-2 inches outside of the
peripheral fencing. Avian predators, such as Great Horned Owls, Hawks
and Eagles also can present quite a challenge. The best legal way I've
discovered to minimize loss due to owls is by the use of upward
pointing flood lights and strobe lights. The flood lights don't stop
the owls, but make it difficult for them to sneak in undetected,
allowing the Brant time to take evasive action such as diving
underwater or under thick cover. It's not foolproof but usually results
in a reduction of losses. The only effective legal way of discouraging
attacks by Hawks and Eagles of which I'm aware, besides netting over
your entire goose pasture and pond, is by repeatedly frightening them
away using cracker shells and/or firecrackers.
A couple of improvements I have recently incorporated into my operation
seem to have resulted in increased nesting and fertility. One was the
installation of isolated gravel and rock peninsulas around my ponds
that taper gradually underwater. These appear to have satisfied a need
for privacy and ease of copulation. The other was to isolate last
year's crop of young from the breeding flock until after nesting is
finished in order to minimize unnecessary interference with territorial
defense.
Unfortunately, Brant continue to be a species not readily reared in
captivity except by a few aviculturists. This has had the effect of
limiting their availability, while access to other arctic goose
species, such as Red Breasted, Ross and Emperors has been improving. I
hope my efforts, and the efforts of other successful captive
propagators will ultimately make these marvelous little geese more
available to other avicultural and research endeavors.
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The
extent of the migrations of this species remains as yet unknown. Its
progress along our Atlantic shores in October, November, and December,
is varied, and in a great measure uncertain, it being apparently
induced to tarry or to proceed by the changes which may happen in the
temperature. It in fact appears to remain along the coast until forced
away by the intensity of the cold, when it resumes its flight, and
removes to countries beyond the southern limits of the United States.
The Brant Goose may be considered as a salt-water bird, for it never
ascends our rivers beyond the influence of the tides, nor is found on
inland lakes or ponds, unless it be wounded, and happen to alight
accidentally in such places. To this natural predilection for
salt-water may be attributed its habit of flying round the projections
of capes and headlands: it very seldom passing directly over a neck of
land, unless suddenly surprised and alarmed by the gunner.
This species has never been seen by my friend Dr. BACHMAN in South
Carolina. I never observed any on the lakes or shores about the mouths
of the Mississippi, nor any where in the course of my route to Texas.
While I was in that country, I did not find any person who could give
me sufficient reasons for believing that it ever tarries there. Where
it may go in winter is therefore to me unknown.
The flesh of this bird I consider as excellent food. The young in
autumn, or about the time of their first appearance on our eastern
coast, Massachusetts for example, are tender, juicy, and fat; and are
as well known to the epicures of Boston as the more celebrated
Canvass-back is to those of Baltimore.
Its flight resembles that of our other Geese, being in ordinary
circumstances rather slow and sedate. As to its cry, although I have
often seen hundreds of individuals at a time, I have not been able to
tune my ears so as to liken its cacklings to the sounds produced by "a
pack of hounds in full cry," as alleged by WILSON. The Brant Goose is a
shy bird, not easily approached; it swims well, and when wounded can
dive with great expertness, as I have more than once witnessed. Its
food consists of marine plants, which I have often found in its
gizzard, along with coarse gravel and fragments of shells, which latter
were so thick as to lead me to think that the bird had not broken them
for the purpose of getting at the animal. In walking it moves with
lighter and quicker steps than even the Bernacle Goose, Anser
leucopsis. It is very easily tamed, and when thus subjugated eats any
kind of grain, and crops the grass well with its head slightly inclined
to one side. It has been known to produce young in captivity.
Of its manner of breeding I am ignorant; and all that has been stated
on the subject is, that it breeds in great numbers in northern
latitudes, for example, on the coasts and islands of Hudson's Bay and
the Arctic Sea, and that it lays white eggs.
I have represented a pair which were shot in spring, when their
migratory movements are more regular than in autumn.
"A few years ago," Mr. THOMAS MACCULLOCH writes to me, "a Brant Goose,
slightly wounded in the tip of the wing, was brought us, but it
rejected sea-grass and every thing else which was offered it, and died
in a few days after it came into our possession. Shortly after we
procured another, which had been disabled in the same manner. Like the
first it rejected every thing but water, and would certainly soon have
shared the fate of its predecessor, had not my mother thrown a handful
of unshelled barley into the tub of water, in which it was accustomed
to swim. The grain was immediately devoured by the bird, with as much
avidity as if it had been its usual fare; and during the time it
remained with us, it would taste no other food. It having recovered the
use of its wing, we usually placed it at night, for greater security,
in a room near the one in which the man-servant slept. This
arrangement, however, did not prove agreeable to all the parties
concerned. Though the Brant was perfectly silent, yet the disposition
for early rising which it evinced by pattering about the floor sorely
disturbed the Irishman's predilection for a lengthened nap. To relieve
himself from the annoyance, early one morning, when he thought there
was no danger of detection, he let the bird free. It, however, no
sooner found itself loose than it began to exult most loudly in its
liberty, and my mother, who was awakened by the singular and unusual
noise, rose and lifted the blind, just as it took wing for the water,
where doubtless it soon rejoined its former companions. The time it was
in our possession was too short to admit of many observations being
made on its habits. We remarked, however, that it was by no means
deficient in courage. When approached, it would lower its head, writhe
its glossy serpent-like neck, and, with open month, protruded tongue,
and eyes flashing with rage, prepare to defend itself, emitting at the
same time a strong hissing sound. This was the only noise which it made
while in our possession, and until the morning of its departure it was
never heard to use the hoarse call of the species."
BRANT, Anas Bernicla, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. viii. p. 131.
ANSER BERNICLA, Bonap. Syn., p. 378.
ANSER BERNICLA, Brant Goose, Swains. and
Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii.p. 469.
BRANT or BRENT GOOSE, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 358.
BRENT GOOSE; Anser Bernicla, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. vi pp. 24,
610.
Male, 24 1/2, 48. Female, 23, 44 1/2
Abundant along the coast of the Atlantic, from Maine to Maryland,
during winter. Never seen far inland. Breeds from Labrador northward.
Columbia river.
Adult Male.
Bill much shorter than the head, higher than broad at the base,
somewhat conical slightly depressed toward the end, narrowed and
rounded at the tip. Upper mandible with the dorsal line sloping, the
ridge a little flattened at the base, convex toward the end, the sides
sloping, the edges soft, the oblique marginal lamellae, short,
transverse, about 25 on each side, the unguis round, convex,
striato-denticulate on the inner edge. Nasal groove elliptical,
commencing at the base, and extending to beyond the middle of the bill;
nostrils lateral, medial, longitudinal, narrow-elliptical, open,
pervious. Lower mandible straight, depressed, with the angle very long,
rather wide, somewhat rounded, the sides sloping outwards, the edges
soft, with about forty lamellae.
Head small, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long and slender. Body
full, slightly depressed. Feet short, stout, placed a little behind the
centre of the body; legs bare a little above the tibio-tarsal joint.
Tarsus short, compressed, covered all round with angular reticulated
scales, which are smaller behind. Hind toe extremely small, with a very
narrow membrane; third toe longest, fourth a little shorter, but longer
than the second; all the toes reticulated above at the base, but with
narrow transverse scutella towards the end; the three anterior
connected by a reticulated membrane; the outer with a thick margin, the
inner with the margin extended into a two-lobed web. Claws small,
arched, rather depressed, especially that of the middle toe, which has
the inner margin expanded.
Plumage close, rather short, compact above, blended on the head, neck,
and lower parts of the body. The feathers of the head and neck small
and oblong, of the back very broad and abruptly rounded, of the breast
and belly broadly rounded. Wings, when closed, extending a little
beyond the end of the tail; primaries very strong, decurved, the first
longest, the second almost equal; secondaries long, broad, rounded.
Tail very short, rounded, of sixteen feathers.
Bill and feet black. Iris hazel. Head and neck all round black, glossed
with blue. A small streak under the eye, and a spot on the chin, white;
on each side of the neck a patch of the same formed by a number of the
feathers which have a white band near the end. The general colour of
the upper parts is brownish-grey, the feathers terminally margined with
light greyish-brown; the quills, and primary coverts greyish-black, the
primaries darker; the upper tail-coverts white, the tail greyish-black.
The fore part of the breast is light brownish-grey, the feathers
terminally margined with greyish-white; the grey tint gradually fades
into white, which is the colour of the abdomen, sides of the rump and
lower tail-coverts; the sides of the body grey, the feathers broadly
tipped with white; axillar feathers and lower wing-coverts grey.
Length to end of tail 24 1/2 inches, to end of claws 25 1/2; extent of
wings 48; bill along the ridge 1 4/12, along the edge of lower mandible
1 4/12; wing from flexure 13; tail 4 1/2; tarsus 1 1/4; hind toe (3
1/2)/12, its claw (3 1/2)/12; middle toe 1 8/12, its claw (4 1/2)/12.
Weight 3 1/4 lbs.
Adult Female.
The female, which is somewhat smaller, is similar to the male.
Length to end of tail 23 inches, to end of wings 24, to end of claws 23
3/4; extent of wings 44 1/2. Weight 2 1/4 lbs.
An adult female procured by Dr. THOMAS M. BREWER of Boston.
The roof of the mouth is concave, with a median row of short papillae,
two lateral series of flattened laminae, and some irregularly scattered
intermediate prominences, the lower mandible more concave. The tongue
is fleshy, with the base papillate, the sides parallel and furnished
with recurved papillae, the tip rounded and thin, the entire length 1
inch 5 twelfths. The oesophagus, Fig.
1[a], which is 13 inches long, is exceedingly slender, its diameter
when contracted not being greater than that of the windpipe, or about 4
twelfths, but it is capable of being dilated to 6 twelfths; its inner
coat thrown into prominent longitudinal rugae. The proventriculus, [a
b], is enlarged to the breadth of 11 twelfths, its glandules simple,
cylindrical, 2 twelfths long. The stomach, [c d e f], is a very highly
developed muscular gizzard, placed obliquely, and of an elliptical
form, its length being 1 inch 9 twelfths, its breadth 2 inches 11
twelfths. This great breadth is caused, as in other birds of this
family, by the vast size of the lateral muscles, of which the left,
[d], has a thickness at the middle of 1 inch 4 1/2 twelfths, the right,
[e], of 1 inch 3 twelfths, thus leaving but a very small space between
the two grinding surfaces, which are placed obliquely. The lower
muscle, 8 narrow and of moderate thickness. The epithelium is soft,
unless on the two grinding plates, which are of an elliptical form, a
little concave, smooth in the middle, longitudinally grooved toward the
margins. The proventricular belt of glandules is 1 inch 3 twelfths in
breadth. The stomach contained--a large quantity of pure quartz sand.
The pylorus is destitute of valve. The duodenum [e g h], has a diameter
of 4 1/2 twelfths, and curves at the distance of 5 inches; the
intestine is disposed in longitudinal folds, there being 16 turns, and
measures 5 feet 11 inches in length. It retains a pretty uniform
breadth as far as the rectum Fig.
2, [a b], which enlarges to 7 twelfths. The coeca, [a c c], which
come off at the distance of 5 inches from the extremity, are 5 inches
in length, very narrow, their diameter at the base being about 1
twelfth, towards the end 2 twelfths, and their greatest breadth toward
the middle 3 1/2 twelfths. In Fig.
2 is seen part of the oviduct, [d b], which opens at the distance
of 1/2 inch from the anus, opposite [b], and above or anterior to the
ureters. In this bird there is no decided cloaca, which is equally the
case with other species of this family, and with such birds generally
as pass their faeces in a compact cylindrical form. In this respect,
Swans, Geese, and Ducks are analogous to Pheasants, Grouse, and
Partridges; they being in fact aquatic Gallinaceae.
The trachea is 11 inches long, its diameter at the upper part 4 1/2
twelfths. It is a little flattened above, less so in the middle, and
somewhat compressed at the lower extremity, where its diameter is 3
twelfths. There are 150 free osseous rings, and 15 additional united
rings at the lower part. The inferior larynx is destitute of muscles.
The space between the last ring of the trachea and the first bronchial
ring is large, being 4 1/2 twelfths in length. The bronchi are very
short, rather wide, with about 10 incomplete rings, the extremities of
which nearly meet. The lateral muscles are strong, and there is a pair
of cleido-tracheal, and a pair of sterno-tracheal muscles, the former
coming off at the distance of 2 1/2 inches, the latter at that of 1
inch 2 twelfths, from the inferior larynx. The cleido-tracheal muscle
is a direct continuation of part of the contractor, but the
sterno-tracheal is independent of them, and attached to two rings of
the trachea. The contractor muscle terminates in the solid tube, at the
distance of 9 twelfths from the inferior larynx.
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(Branta
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