An unmistakable small, black goose, the brent goose is exceptional amongst geese for its strong, efficient flight, which carries it extraordinary distances of several thousand kilometres as it migrates after breeding in the Arctic. This diminutive goose has a short neck, and a small head and bill borne on a plump body. From a distance it looks all dark apart from the gleaming white under-tail, but is in fact typically grey-brown on the back with a small white neck patch. The male and female brent goose are similar in appearance, although the male is usually slightly larger and tends to have a broader neck patch.