Ducks, Geese & Swans in Alberta
Our list for Alberta has 23 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 5 residents, 6 summer visitors, 6 winter visitors and 6 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Alberta in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 23, most common first
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaResidentCommon40–51 cmRecorded all year
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Mar–Nov
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year
Northern PintailAnas acutaSummer visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Mar–Jan
GadwallMareca streperaSummer visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Mar–Dec
Eurasian TealAnas creccaSummer visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Mar–Jan
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensPassage migrantCommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–May
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisSummer visitorCommon35–43 cmRecorded all year
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorCommon120–150 cmRegularly Sep–May
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantCommon64–81 cmRegularly Apr–Nov
Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanopteraSummer visitorUncommon36–43 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentUncommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly May–Nov
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisPassage migrantUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopePassage migrantUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Mar–May
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiPassage migrantUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Sep–May
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Ruddy Duck 35–43 cm
- Cinnamon Teal 36–43 cm
- Hooded Merganser 40–49 cm
- Goldeneye 40–51 cm
- Eurasian Wigeon 42–51 cm
- Northern Shoveler 44–51 cm
- Greater Scaup 39–56 cm
- Long-tailed Duck 37–60 cm
- Wood Duck 47–54 cm
- Gadwall 46–56 cm
- Surf Scoter 48–60 cm
- Red-breasted Merganser 52–58 cm
- Mallard 50–65 cm
- Ross's Goose 57–64 cm
- Common Merganser 58–68 cm
- Cackling Goose 53–76 cm
- Northern Pintail 59–76 cm
- Greater White-fronted Goose 64–81 cm
- Snow Goose 69–84 cm
- Canada Goose 76–110 cm
- Tundra Swan 120–150 cm
- Trumpeter Swan 139–157 cm
Body length, bill to tail. Rare birds in grey.
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made