Branta fossil map
Where fossils of Branta have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Prehistoric birds |
|---|---|
| Lived | 23.04 million years ago to the present (Aquitanian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Anatidae |
| Named by | Scopoli 1769 |
| Fossil records | 132 occurrences at 97 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Greenland, Canada, Italy, United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, Egypt, Mexico, Indonesia … |
| Rock formations | txn:39624, Temblor, Yorktown, San Pedro, Bermont, Tamiami |
About Branta
The black geese or white-cheeked geese of the genus Branta are waterfowl belonging to the true goose and swan subfamily Anserinae. They occur in the northern coastal regions of the Palearctic and all over North America, migrating to more southerly coasts in winter, and as resident birds in the Hawaiian Islands. Alone in the Southern Hemisphere, a self-sustaining feral population derived from introduced Canada geese is also found in New Zealand.
The black geese derive their vernacular name for the prominent areas of black coloration found in all species and their secondary name from the markings on their cheeks. They can be distinguished from all other true geese by their legs and feet, which are black or very dark grey. Furthermore, they have black bills and large areas of black on the head and neck, with white (ochre in one species) markings that can be used to tell apart most species. As with most geese, their undertail and uppertail coverts are white. They are also on average smaller than other geese, though some very large taxa are known, which rival the swan goose and the black-necked swan in size.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Branta (revision 1380735368), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q210416.
