Ducks, Geese & Swans in Argyll and Bute
Our list for Argyll and Bute has 27 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 11 residents, 12 winter visitors, 3 passage migrants and 1 scarce visitor
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Argyll and Bute in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 27, most common first
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisWinter visitorCommon58–70 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorCommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Sep–Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Jun–Apr
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentCommon58–67 cmRecorded all year
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaWinter visitorCommon40–47 cmRegularly Sep–Jun
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentCommon43–54 cmRecorded all year
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusPassage migrantUncommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–May
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Feb
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiPassage migrantUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Feb–Mar
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Tufted Duck 40–47 cm
- Goldeneye 40–51 cm
- Eurasian Wigeon 42–51 cm
- Northern Shoveler 44–51 cm
- Greater Scaup 39–56 cm
- Common Scoter 43–54 cm
- Long-tailed Duck 37–60 cm
- Gadwall 46–56 cm
- Surf Scoter 48–60 cm
- Red-breasted Goose 53–56 cm
- Velvet Scoter 51–58 cm
- Red-breasted Merganser 52–58 cm
- Mallard 50–65 cm
- Eider 50–71 cm
- Brent Goose 55–66 cm
- Common Shelduck 58–67 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
- Greylag Goose 75–90 cm
- Canada Goose 76–110 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