(Branta nigricans)
The black sea brant is another purely Pacific Coast species, found
nowhere else except as a straggler. They resemble the barnacle brant
of the Atlantic (=Branta barnicla=) except in the shape of the head
and bill. A differing characteristic, however, is that the white
speckling on the sides of the neck of the barnacle brant extends all
around the front of the neck in the case of the black sea brant. As
their name implies, these are purely seabirds, rarely flying over the
land even, and only found in such bays as produce the eel grass on
which they feed almost exclusively. I only know of the following
places within the Pacific Coast shooting grounds where the black sea
brant is found. These are: Puget sound, Washington; Coos bay, Oregon;
Humboldt, Tomales, Moro and San Diego bays, California, and Magdalena
bay, Lower California. In most of these places they ate plentiful
during the winter season. Of all birds that fall to the aim of the
sportsman, the black sea brant is the most difficult to get within
range of. This is only accomplished by great caution and a good deal
of strategy, but when they are brought to bag the reward is a full
compensation, for of all the waterfowl their flesh is the most
delicious. The sea brant is rarely found away from the haunts
mentioned, yet the bird from which the accompanying illustration was
made was killed from a small flock that had strayed into the lower end
of San Francisco bay, near Redwood City, and was mounted by that
accomplished sportsman and taxidermist, Chase Littlejohn, of that
place.
=Color=--General color, black; throat, with a white or speckled ring
all around the neck, except a small portion of the back; flanks,
mottled white and black; under tail feathers, white.
=Nest and Eggs=--The nest is only a depression on the ground, but
nicely lined with down. The eggs, numbering six to eight, are of a
dull white.
=Measurements=--Wing, 13 inches; bill, 1-1/2 inches.