Ducks, Geese & Swans in Minnesota
Our list for Minnesota has 27 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 4 residents, 3 summer visitors, 12 winter visitors and 8 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Minnesota in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 27, most common first
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorResidentCommon139–157 cmRecorded all year
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRegularly Mar–Nov
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Oct–Jun
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Jun
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year
Eurasian TealAnas creccaSummer visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Mar–Dec
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusPassage migrantUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsPassage migrantUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Sep–May
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–May
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiPassage migrantUncommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensPassage migrantUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–May
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPassage migrantUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Sep–Nov
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiPassage migrantUncommon57–64 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
King EiderSomateria spectabilisPassage migrantUncommon46–64 cmRegularly Jan
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
- 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
- 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