The majority of Brent Geese wintering in Norfolk belong to the Dark-bellied form bernicla but careful scanning of the flocks will often reveal the presence of one or two Pale-bellied Brent Geese (form hrota) or even a Black Brant (form orientalis, formerly called nigricans but that name has now been bagged by the newly-described Grey-bellied Brant).
Dark-bellied Brent Geese sometimes hybridise with other forms of Brent Goose, especially Black Brant. Some photos of Black Brant x Dark-bellied Brent Goose hybrids appear on the Black Brant page.
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Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 7th March 2007
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Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Burnham Overy (Norfolk, UK), 16th February 2013
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first-winter Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 10th November 2004 - photographed on the same day one of these already shows an white neck-collar and white flank markings while the other lacks these completely
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Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 8th March 2011
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 31st December 2005
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Wells (Norfolk, UK), 14th February 2012
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 31st December 2005
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first-winter Dark-bellied Brent Goose (with adult behind), Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 10th November 2004
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first-winter Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 10th November 2004
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Wells (Norfolk, UK), 19th November 2004
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Thornham (Norfolk, UK), 15th February 2016 - 3 birds
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one adult and two first-winter Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Thornham (Norfolk, UK), 22nd October 2011
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Burnham Overy (Norfolk, UK), 31st January 2009
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe, (Norfolk, UK), 11th November 2004
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Burnham Deepdale (Norfolk, UK), 28th November 2003
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 21st November 2012
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Burnham Overy (Norfolk, UK), 10th January 2004
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Holkham (Norfolk, UK), 15th January 2005
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juvenile Brent Goose, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 3rd January 2009 - I think this is Dark-bellied and the paleness of the belly is exaggerated by the light reflecting from the water (the last two photos are clearly a bit over-exposed); however I'm open to other suggestions...
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adult and juvenile Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 7th November 2009
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 7th January 2014
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Wells (Norfolk, UK), 6th December 2008
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 15th February 2006
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 11th November 2004
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 30th November 2007
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 26th March 2004
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Burnham Deepdale (Norfolk, UK), 28th November 2003
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 16th October 2007
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first-winter (left) and adult (right) Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 16th November 2007
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 19th December 2007
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first-winter Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 31st December 2005
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first-winter Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 15th March 2006
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first-winter Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 12th November 2007
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Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 22nd April 2008
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Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 5th January 2008
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Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 6th November 2007
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 15th November 2005
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 3rd January 2009
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Brancaster Staithe (Norfolk, UK), 30th November 2007
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 20th November 2004
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Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 6th October 2012
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adult Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Sheringham (Norfolk, UK), 25th September 2013
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Individuals with varying degrees of white speckling on their heads appear quite frequently. Here are a few examples:
More unusually two birds that were very pale all over turned up at Cley as juveniles in the autumn of 2010. They returned as adults the following winter:
One or the following birds stood out from the flock in having much paler upperparts (due mainly to broad pale fringes not only to the wing-coverts but also the mantle) as well as underparts a bit on the pale side. A second bird was similar though not nearly so obvious, and both of these birds showed slightly paler head and neck than other young Brent Geese in the flock. There were 2-3 other birds which may possibly have been siblings showed broader-than-average pale wing-coverts, though not especially unusually so. The explanation is currently unclear, however I am assured that they are not they offspring of the mixed pairing of Pale-bellied Brent Goose and Dark-bellied Brent Goose that have been in the area recently.