Ducks, Geese & Swans in Michigan
Our list for Michigan has 29 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 4 residents, 1 summer visitor, 20 winter visitors and 4 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Michigan 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
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRecorded all year
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRegularly Jul–Apr
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Sep–May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRecorded all year
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–May
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Sep–Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Greylag GooseAnser anserWinter visitorRare75–90 cmRecorded all year
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Ruddy Duck 35–43 cm
- Cinnamon Teal 36–43 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
- 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
- Greylag Goose 75–90 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