Ducks, Geese & Swans in Maryland
Our list for Maryland has 29 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 4 residents, 1 summer visitor, 23 winter visitors and 1 scarce visitor
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Maryland in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 29, most common first
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Aug
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRecorded all year
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorCommon120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Jul–Apr
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Mar
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorRare50–71 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentRare139–157 cmRecorded all year
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorRare64–81 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Ruddy Duck 35–43 cm
- Hooded Merganser 40–49 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
- 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
- Brent Goose 55–66 cm
- Eider 50–71 cm
- Ross's Goose 57–64 cm
- Common Merganser 58–68 cm
- Cackling Goose 53–76 cm
- Northern Pintail 59–76 cm
- Greater White-fronted Goose 64–81 cm
- Muscovy Duck 66–84 cm
- Snow Goose 69–84 cm
- Swan Goose 81–94 cm
- Canada Goose 76–110 cm
- Tundra Swan 120–150 cm
- Trumpeter Swan 139–157 cm
- Mute Swan 140–160 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