Brent Goose

🔍 Overview

Small and dark, the Brent Goose is a winter visitor to Sussex’s coastal mudflats. Most common from October to March, often in large flocks feeding on eelgrass and saltmarsh.

🪶 Key Identification Features

Size: Small goose (55–61 cm)
Plumage: Dark brown body with pale underparts
Distinctive Marks: Neat white neck patch (not always visible), white rump
Bill: Short, black
Tail: Small and dark with a white flank
Flight: Low, direct flight in tight flocks

🗺️ Habitat & Distribution

Best seen at Brighton Marina, Goring Gap, and Worthing Beaches during winter.

🎶 Voice & Behaviour

Low, conversational honks or grunting calls. Feeds in flocks on mudflats and saltmarsh.

🍴 Diet

Eats eelgrass, algae, and other estuarine vegetation.

📸 Birding Tip

Visit at low tide to see feeding flocks; look for mixed groups of Dark-bellied Brent with occasional Pale-bellied individuals.