One of the rarest goose species in the world, the red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis) is a brightly marked, endangered species of goose in the genus Branta from Eurasia. The fore-neck, breast and sides of the head are chestnut red bordered with white. The wings, back and fore-belly are charcoal black, with a bright white stripe running down the side to the white rear belly. They often choose sites close to the nests of birds of prey such as peregrine falcons and snowy owls. While this might seem a dangerous thing to do, in fact it seems to provide protection from other predators such as arctic foxes. Red-breasted geese nest in tundra, and less often, in open parts of shrub tundra, where high and dry areas are favoured, such as steep river banks, rocky slopes, rocky crags and gullies. These birds prefer rocky banks, rocky slopes, rocky crags and rocky gullies. Almost the entire world population spends the winter on the western coast of the Black Sea.
