Ducks, Geese & Swans in Galway
Our list for Galway has 24 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 5 residents, 15 winter visitors and 4 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Galway in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 24, most common first
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Sep–Jun
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentUncommon75–90 cmRecorded all year
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Feb
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
PochardAythya ferinaWinter visitorUncommon42–49 cmRegularly Aug–Jun
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraWinter visitorUncommon43–54 cmRegularly Nov–Jul
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Feb
Common MerganserMergus merganserPassage migrantUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Dec
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisWinter visitorUncommon58–70 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusPassage migrantUncommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Oct
GarganeySpatula querquedulaPassage migrantRare37–41 cmRegularly Sep
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Garganey 37–41 cm
- Tufted Duck 40–47 cm
- Pochard 42–49 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
- Common Scoter 43–54 cm
- Gadwall 46–56 cm
- Red-breasted Merganser 52–58 cm
- Mallard 50–65 cm
- Brent Goose 55–66 cm
- Eider 50–71 cm
- Common Shelduck 58–67 cm
- Common Merganser 58–68 cm
- Barnacle Goose 58–70 cm
- Northern Pintail 59–76 cm
- Pink-footed Goose 60–75 cm
- Greater White-fronted Goose 64–81 cm
- Greylag Goose 75–90 cm
- Mute Swan 140–160 cm
- Whooper Swan 140–165 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