Ducks, Geese & Swans in Rhode Island
Our list for Rhode Island has 30 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 3 residents, 2 summer visitors, 21 winter visitors and 4 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Rhode Island in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 30, most common first
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorCommon54–59 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorCommon50–71 cmRecorded all year
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentCommon140–160 cmRecorded all year
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorCommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–May
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorCommon39–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorCommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorCommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Wood DuckAix sponsaSummer visitorCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorCommon35–43 cmRegularly Sep–May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Sep–Mar
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
King EiderSomateria spectabilisWinter visitorUncommon46–64 cmRegularly Sep–Feb
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Ruddy Duck 35–43 cm
- Tufted Duck 40–47 cm
- Hooded Merganser 40–49 cm
- Goldeneye 40–51 cm
- Eurasian Wigeon 42–51 cm
- Greater Scaup 39–56 cm
- Northern Shoveler 44–51 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
- Eider 50–71 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
- Pink-footed Goose 60–75 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
- 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