Living with Birds Winter’s long-distance travellers: brent geese Tweetapedia

Each autumn, thousands of brent geese arrive on British shores, completing a remarkable journey from their high-arctic breeding grounds. These small, dark-bodied geese are a hallmark of the winter coastline, particularly along the east and south coasts of England.

The journey south

Unlike many other geese that nest in relatively accessible areas, brent geese breed in some of the most remote places on Earth, including the Canadian arctic, Greenland, and Siberia. As the arctic summer fades and food sources become buried under ice, they begin a 2,500-mile migration.

They do not travel in the classic 'V' formation often associated with larger geese; instead, they fly in loose, energetic flocks, staying low over the water to conserve energy against the wind.

Coastal specialists

Once they arrive in the UK, brent geese are almost exclusively coastal. You are most likely to spot them on saltmarshes, estuaries, and shingle beaches. There are two main races that visit:

• Dark-bellied brent geese: These travel from Siberia and are most common in south and east England.

• Light-bellied brent geese: These originate from Canada and Greenland, with many spending their winter in Ireland and parts of western Britain.

Feeding and behaviour

Their arrival is timed with the availability of eelgrass and sea lettuce found on tidal mudflats. As these resources are depleted during the winter, the geese often move inland to graze on coastal pastures and winter cereals.

Because they are small—barely larger than a mallard—and have short necks, they are unable to reach food in deep water. This makes intertidal zones essential for their survival. They are social birds, and their presence is often announced by a distinctive, low-pitched "rronk-rronk" call that carries across the marshes.

Observing brent geese

The best time to see them is from October through to March. Look for them during a rising tide, which pushes the flocks closer to the shoreline as their feeding grounds are submerged. Respecting their space is vital; these birds have limited fat reserves to get through the winter, so avoiding disturbances that cause them to take flight unnecessarily helps them conserve the energy needed for their return journey in the spring.