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 · Oct
Share of all bird records in Nova Scotia in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 28, most common first
King EiderSomateria spectabilisPassage migrantRare46–64 cmRegularly Dec–Jan
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiPassage migrantRare53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Dec
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorRare60–75 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisPassage migrantRare58–70 cmRegularly Oct–Jan
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataPassage migrantRare66–84 cmRegularly Jan
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