Ducks, Geese & Swans in Nova Scotia
Our list for Nova Scotia has 28 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 7 residents, 14 winter visitors, 6 passage migrants and 1 scarce visitor
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Nova Scotia in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 28, most common first
American Black DuckAnas rubripesResidentCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorCommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorCommon48–60 cmRecorded all year
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–May
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentUncommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
GadwallMareca streperaResidentUncommon46–56 cmRecorded all year
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–May
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorUncommon40–47 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataResidentUncommon44–51 cmRecorded all year
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Jun
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorRare69–84 cmRegularly Sep–May
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantRare64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusScarceRare120–150 cm
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Ruddy Duck 35–43 cm
- Tufted Duck 40–47 cm
- Hooded Merganser 40–49 cm
- Goldeneye 40–51 cm
- Eurasian Wigeon 42–51 cm
- Greater Scaup 39–56 cm
- Northern Shoveler 44–51 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
- King Eider 46–64 cm
- American Black Duck 54–59 cm
- Mallard 50–65 cm
- Eider 50–71 cm
- Brent Goose 55–66 cm
- Common Merganser 58–68 cm
- Barnacle Goose 58–70 cm
- Cackling Goose 53–76 cm
- Northern Pintail 59–76 cm
- Pink-footed Goose 60–75 cm
- Greater White-fronted Goose 64–81 cm
- Muscovy Duck 66–84 cm
- Snow Goose 69–84 cm
- Canada Goose 76–110 cm
- Tundra Swan 120–150 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