Ducks, Geese & Swans in Shetland Islands
Our list for Shetland Islands has 30 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 14 residents, 1 summer visitor, 7 winter visitors and 8 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Shetland Islands in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 30, most common first
Greylag GooseAnser anserResidentCommon75–90 cmRecorded all year
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorResidentCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorCommon42–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Sep–Jun
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRecorded all year
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnusWinter visitorCommon140–165 cmRegularly Aug–Mar
Tufted DuckAythya fuligulaResidentCommon40–47 cmRecorded all year
Common ShelduckTadorna tadornaResidentUncommon58–67 cmRegularly Nov–Jul
Common ScoterMelanitta nigraResidentUncommon43–54 cmRecorded all year
Pink-footed GooseAnser brachyrhynchusWinter visitorUncommon60–75 cmRegularly Sep–Jun
Tundra Bean GooseAnser serrirostrisPassage migrantUncommon66–84 cmRegularly Jan–Apr
Northern PintailAnas acutaPassage migrantUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Jun
Barnacle GooseBranta leucopsisResidentUncommon58–70 cmRegularly Sep–Jul
Common MerganserMergus merganserResidentUncommon58–68 cmRegularly Jan–Oct
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Greater ScaupAythya marilaPassage migrantUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–Mar
Velvet ScoterMelanitta fuscaWinter visitorUncommon51–58 cmRegularly Oct–Feb
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataSummer visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Feb–Oct
Brent GooseBranta berniclaPassage migrantUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Sep–Oct
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Garganey 37–41 cm
- Tufted Duck 40–47 cm
- Mandarin Duck 41–49 cm
- Goldeneye 40–51 cm
- Pochard 42–49 cm
- Eurasian Wigeon 42–51 cm
- Greater Scaup 39–56 cm
- Northern Shoveler 44–51 cm
- Long-tailed Duck 37–60 cm
- Common Scoter 43–54 cm
- Gadwall 46–56 cm
- Surf Scoter 48–60 cm
- Velvet Scoter 51–58 cm
- Red-breasted Merganser 52–58 cm
- King Eider 46–64 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
- Pink-footed Goose 60–75 cm
- Northern Pintail 59–76 cm
- Greater White-fronted Goose 64–81 cm
- Tundra Bean Goose 66–84 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