# Red-breasted Goose (*Branta ruficollis*) The Red-breasted Goose is a colorful bird with a bright red chest and black head. They are known for their beautiful patterns and love to gather in groups near water. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Red-breasted Goose](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Brantha_ruficollis_In_Taimyr_Reserve.jpg&width=800) Photo: Поспелов Игорь Николаевич, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brantha_ruficollis_In_Taimyr_Reserve.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-breasted Goose is a small goose with a stunning black body, sharply contrasted by white flanks and a rich chestnut-red neck and breast. It features a distinctive white patch on its face, outlining its dark eyes, making it highly recognizable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Branta ## Interesting facts - Red-breasted Geese fly over 5,000 km each year to warmer places. - Their unique red chest helps them stand out to find a mate! - They often nest near powerful falcons or buzzards for protection! - They're one of the smallest geese, barely bigger than some ducks! ## Special abilities - **Migration Master:** Red-breasted Geese can fly thousands of kilometers, navigating across continents to their wintering grounds. - **Arctic Nesting Buddy:** Red-breasted Geese can nest near fierce raptors because the raptors help protect their nests from ground predators. - **Communal Protector:** Red-breasted Geese has extra vigilance by joining larger goose flocks, which helps them spot predators sooner. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 53-56 cm - **Wingspan:** 110-125 cm - **Weight:** 1-1.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-10 - **Incubation:** 25-26 days - **Migration Distance:** 5000 km ## Diet & Feeding These geese mostly munch on fresh green grasses and tender plant shoots to fuel their long journeys. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, sedges, leaves, shoots, winter wheat - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Preys on eggs and goslings. - **Eaten by:** [Golden Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-eagle) (*Aquila chrysaetos*) — Hunts adult geese. - **Shelter:** Rough-legged Buzzard (*Buteo lagopus*) — Nests nearby for protection. - **Symbiotic with:** [Greater White-fronted Goose](https://www.snappit.app/explore/greater-white-fronted-goose) (*Anser albifrons*) — Forms mixed flocks for safety. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-breasted Goose? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red-breasted Goose? 53-56 cm ### What is Red-breasted Goose's wingspan? 110-125 cm ### How much does Red-breasted Goose weigh? 1-1.6 kg ### How long does Red-breasted Goose live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Red-breasted Goose move? 80 km/h ### What does Red-breasted Goose eat? These geese mostly munch on fresh green grasses and tender plant shoots to fuel their long journeys. ### Where is Red-breasted Goose usually found? Wetlands ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Red-breasted Goose: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-breasted-goose)