Ducks, Geese & Swans in South Carolina
Our list for South Carolina has 24 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 4 residents, 18 winter visitors and 2 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in South Carolina in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 24, most common first
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorUncommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–Jun
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Mute SwanCygnus olorWinter visitorUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Nov–Feb
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorRare48–60 cmRegularly Nov–Jun
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorRare39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorRare54–59 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorRare40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorRare37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Feb
Common MerganserMergus merganserPassage migrantRare58–68 cmRegularly Jan–Jun
Ross's GooseAnser rossiiWinter visitorRare57–64 cmRegularly Nov–Feb
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorRare64–81 cmRegularly Dec–Mar
EiderSomateria mollissimaWinter visitorRare50–71 cmRegularly Dec–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
- American Black Duck 54–59 cm
- Mallard 50–65 cm
- Eider 50–71 cm
- Ross's Goose 57–64 cm
- Common Merganser 58–68 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
- 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