Barnacle goose Barnacle goose The barnacle goose ("Branta leucopsis") belongs to the genus "Branta" of black geese, which contains species with largely black plumage, distinguishing them from the grey "Anser" species. Despite its superficial similarity to the brant goose, genetic analysis has shown it is an eastern derivative of the cackling goose lineage. The barnacle goose was first classified taxonomically by Johann Matthäus Bechstein in 1803. "Branta" is a Latinised form of Old Norse "Brandgás", "burnt (black) goose" and the specific epithet is from the Ancient Greek "leukos" "white", and "opsis" "faced". The barnacle goose and the similar brant goose were previously
Branta correctly assigned – meaning that the genus "Anser" was once much more widespread than today and that it coexisted with "Branta" in freshwater habitat which it today does only most rarely – is not clear. Especially in the case of "B. dickeyi" and "B. howardae", doubts have been expressed about its correct generic assignment. The former ""Branta" minuscula" is now placed with the prehistoric American shelducks, "Anabernicula". On the other hand, a goose fossil from the Early-Middle Pleistocene of El Salvador is highly similar to "Anser" and given its age and biogeography it is likely to belong to that genus