Black (Pacific) Brant

black pacific brant
Black Brant, or Pacific Brant, hunting can be excellent in western Mexico. As compared to their Atlantic counterparts, note the heavy white neck markings.

Black (Pacific) Brant (Branta bernicula nigricans) is one of 2 North American brant subspecies. There are 3 subspecies worldwide.  All brant subspecies breed in the high-Arctic tundra and overwinter in temperate-zone estuarine habitats. Black Brant and Pacific Brant are oftentimes used interchangeably as common names. Makes perfect sense since the other North American subspecies is Atlantic Brant.  Black brant are the darkest subspecies. The small heads and short necks are black, and their white necklace is larger and more sharply defined than their pale-bellied Atlantic counterparts. Body plumage is uniformly dark carbon-brown colored; the belly dark umber. By contrast, the flanks are lighter gray and subtly barred. Uppertail coverts and ventral area are white. Like all brant, tidal fluctuations trigger their movements. Loafing and feeding areas, and especially drinking areas during low tides, are great places to hunt. The respond excellently to decoys.