Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)Where and when to see it in the UK
Winter visitor · reporting peaks October to November · Ducks, Swans, and Geese · BOU category AEF
Peak months
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (grid squares, place names from OS Open Names). Northern Ireland place names: OSNI Open Data, OGL v3.0. County and country boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0. Coastline: Natural Earth. Bird records from the data partners listed here.
Brent Goose has been recorded in 902 of the 2,971 10 km squares covering UK land (30%) in records to 2026. Winter visitor in the UK. Its strongest squares are in England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting peaks in October to November.
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, LC)
View on the IUCN Red List- Very high
- 54% or more of visits
- High
- 10% to 54%
- Moderate
- 2% to 10%
- Low
- under 2%
- Surveyed, not recorded
- at least 20 qualifying visits, no record
- Insufficient records
- too few visits to say
- Lighter fill
- Few visits, lower confidence
- Small dot
- Occasional: a single record, or out of season
Relative to this species' best squares (how classes are calculated)
Seasonality
| Month | Relative to peak | Share of visits | Typical class |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 80% | 6% | Very high |
| February | 71% | 6% | Very high |
| March | 56% | 4% | Very high |
| April | 36% | 3% | Low |
| May | 24% | 2% | Low |
| June | 3% | <1% | Low |
| July | 3% | <1% | Low |
| August | 4% | <1% | Low |
| September | 31% | 2% | Moderate |
| October | 92% | 7% | High |
| November | 100% | 8% | High |
| December | 81% | 6% | High |
Squares with the highest reporting rate in October
| Square | Where | Share of visits | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| C52 | Derry City and Strabane, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| C73 | Causeway Coast and Glens, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D04 | Causeway Coast and Glens, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D23 | Causeway Coast and Glens, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D30 | Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D31 | Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| D40 | Mid and East Antrim, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| H99 | Mid Ulster, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| HP50 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HU33 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |