Red-breasted Goose
Branta ruficollis
VUVulnerable
- Family
- Ducks, Swans, and Geese (Anatidae)
- Order
- Anseriformes
Best months to see it
- JanJanuary: Best
- FebFebruary: Best
- MarMarch: Poor or no data
- AprApril: Poor or no data
- MayMay: Poor or no data
- JunJune: Poor or no data
- JulJuly: Poor or no data
- AugAugust: Poor or no data
- SepSeptember: Poor or no data
- OctOctober: Poor or no data
- NovNovember: Poor or no data
- DecDecember: Best
BestGoodFair
Overview
A full account of this species is being written.
Diet: Grasses and winter cereals.
How to identify it
- Small, boldly patterned goose with a brick-red breast and cheeks
- Black body with a white flank stripe
- Winters mainly around the western Black Sea
Voice
Squeaky 'kik-yoik' calls.
Where to see it
- Durankulak and Shabla, Bulgaria
- Danube Delta, Romania (winter)
Destination guides featuring this bird
Range and habitat
Breeds low Arctic tundra of Yamal, Gydan, and Taymyr peninsulas (northwestern Siberia); winters to western and southern Black Sea and southern Caspian Sea; prone to vagrancy elsewhere in Eurasia.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
