Dark-bellied Brent Goose (Branta bernicla subsp. bernicla)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Vertebrate > bird > Bird |
| Red List Status: | (Not Relevant) [(not listed)(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Branta bernicla bernicla |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | (not listed) |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | The species Branta bernicla is D5 listed as LC. |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Eng WeBS trends (25 yr -15%, 10 yr +6%) |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | A high percentage of the world population winters in England. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Provide grazing habitat in known and suitable wintering areas. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 5. Remedial action identified |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Medium-high |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Structured - sufficient |
| Species Comments: |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Consider and as appropriate implement the recommendations of the SPA Reviews for this species. This should include both outstanding actions from the 2001 Review and additional recommendations of the 2016 Review. Up to date evidence is also required.
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Site protection
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 20 sites
High priority sites:
Comments:
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Protect and restore areas of Eelgrass, saltmarsh and terrestrial grassland habitats as priority feeding areas to mitigate conflicts due to perceived crop damage and to offset losses of foraging habitat to developments.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Habitat management
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites: Humber, Lincolnshire, East Anglia, Solent, North Kent, Essex
Comments: Roosting habitats should also be protected. Consider and implement as appropriate the recommendations of the 2016 SPA review for this species. Up to date evidence is required.
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Reduce human disturbance on existing feeding/roosting sites and disturbance issues to be taken into account in management plans for the creation/restoration of new feeding areas.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Habitat management
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites:
Comments:
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.