Brant (goose) the "Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds" applies. "Branta" is a Latinised form of Old Norse "brandgás", "burnt (black) goose", and "bernicla" is the medieval Latin name for the barnacle. The brant and the similar barnacle goose were previously considered one species, formerly believed to be the same creature as the crustacean. That myth can be dated back to at least the 12th century. Gerald of Wales claimed to have seen these birds hanging down from pieces of timber, William Turner accepted the theory, and John Gerard claimed to have seen the birds emerging from their shells. The
Anser (bird) Maltese swan "Cygnus equitum" was occasionally placed into "Anser", and "Anser condoni" is a synonym of "Cygnus paloregonus". A goose fossil from the Early-Middle Pleistocene of El Salvador is highly similar to "Anser". Given its age it is likely to belong to an extant genus, and biogeography indicates "Branta" as other likely candidate. ?"Anser scaldii" (Late Miocene of Antwerp, Belgium) may be a shelduck. Two species in the genus are of major commercial importance, having been domesticated as poultry: European domesticated geese are derived from the greylag goose, and Chinese and some African domesticated geese are derived from the swan