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Available here are tracking data for the Black Brant, a goose species that breeds in coastal areas of Alaska, northwestern Canada, and northeastern Russia and winters along coastal areas of North America from western Alaska to Mexico.
Return to Ecosystems >> Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists collect data from wildlife tracking devices to: determine locations of animals throughout their annual cycles, understand patterns of habitat use, quantify time spent on various behaviors, and identify geographic areas repeatedly used by wildlife that may indicate sites of importance to species and populations. Tracking data from other wildlife species can be found at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9VYSWEH
Black Brant Tracking Maps
This webpage contains a visualization of the tracking data for Black Brant and other waterfowl species.
This data package contains data collected by light-level geolocators and radio tracking of VHF transmitters attached to free-ranging animals.
Matsuoka, T.D., Patil, V.P., Hupp, J.W., Leach, A.G., Reed, J.A., Sedinger, J.S., Ward, D.H., and Douglas, D.C., 2024, Tracking data for Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) (ver 2.0, April 2025): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P134RIKG.
Patil, V.P., and Ruthrauff, D.R., 2025, Movements of molting black brant in the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P13DPZGS.
Below are other science products associated with Black Brant.
Below are multimedia items associated with Black Brant.
Example of a photo from the USFWS fall aerial survey for geese at Izembek Lagoon. Inset shows a closer view of four Black Brant (bottom) with a Cackling Goose (top) foraging on eelgrass. Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center and the U.S.
Example of a photo from the USFWS fall aerial survey for geese at Izembek Lagoon. Inset shows a closer view of four Black Brant (bottom) with a Cackling Goose (top) foraging on eelgrass. Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center and the U.S.
Two Black Brant in a wetland near the Colville River Delta.
Two Black Brant in a wetland near the Colville River Delta.
Pacific brant feeding on submerged eelgrass at Grant Point, Izembek Lagoon, Alaska.
Pacific brant feeding on submerged eelgrass at Grant Point, Izembek Lagoon, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Pacific brant family on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.
Pacific brant family on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.
Black Brant Flock. Photo taken at Icy Cape study site. Icy Cape is part of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) on the Arctic Coastal Plain. This was one of many study site locations of waterbird-oriented ecosystem studies in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska from 1974-1992.
Black Brant Flock. Photo taken at Icy Cape study site. Icy Cape is part of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) on the Arctic Coastal Plain. This was one of many study site locations of waterbird-oriented ecosystem studies in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska from 1974-1992.
Below are other science products associated with Black Brant.
Below are multimedia items associated with Black Brant.
Example of a photo from the USFWS fall aerial survey for geese at Izembek Lagoon. Inset shows a closer view of four Black Brant (bottom) with a Cackling Goose (top) foraging on eelgrass. Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center and the U.S.
Example of a photo from the USFWS fall aerial survey for geese at Izembek Lagoon. Inset shows a closer view of four Black Brant (bottom) with a Cackling Goose (top) foraging on eelgrass. Scientists from the USGS Alaska Science Center and the U.S.
Two Black Brant in a wetland near the Colville River Delta.
Two Black Brant in a wetland near the Colville River Delta.
Pacific brant feeding on submerged eelgrass at Grant Point, Izembek Lagoon, Alaska.
Pacific brant feeding on submerged eelgrass at Grant Point, Izembek Lagoon, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska.
Pacific brant family on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.
Pacific brant family on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska.
Black Brant Flock. Photo taken at Icy Cape study site. Icy Cape is part of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) on the Arctic Coastal Plain. This was one of many study site locations of waterbird-oriented ecosystem studies in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska from 1974-1992.
Black Brant Flock. Photo taken at Icy Cape study site. Icy Cape is part of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) on the Arctic Coastal Plain. This was one of many study site locations of waterbird-oriented ecosystem studies in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska from 1974-1992.