Every year, several thousand Brent geese overwinter on Texel. It is a challenge to find a Pale-bellied Brent goose or Black Brent goose among the often large groups. Brent geese breed in N-Russia and W-Siberia. Pale-bellied brent geese in Greenland and Spitsbergen and the rarer Black Brent Geese in E-Siberia, Alaska and NW-Canada. In the second half of September, the first Brent geese arrive. The young birds also fly to the wintering area. Only in May they return to their breeding area. That means they only need 4 months to breed including the return trip to Siberia!

Witbuikrotgans en Rotganzen / Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Dark-bellied Brent Geese Branta hrota + Branta bernicla, Texel, 03-02-2018

2 Witbuikrotganzen in een groep Rotganzen / 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese in a group of Dark-bellied Brent Geese Branta hrota + Branta bernicla, Texel, 10-02-2012