Ducks, Geese & Swans in Virginia
Our list for Virginia has 29 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 5 residents, 22 winter visitors and 2 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Virginia 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
GadwallMareca streperaWinter visitorCommon46–56 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisWinter visitorUncommon35–43 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
American Black DuckAnas rubripesWinter visitorUncommon54–59 cmRegularly Jul–Apr
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorUncommon44–51 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorUncommon58–68 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorUncommon52–58 cmRegularly Nov–May
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorUncommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Apr
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorUncommon59–76 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorUncommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Mute SwanCygnus olorResidentUncommon140–160 cmRecorded all year
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorRare53–76 cmRegularly Nov–Mar
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorRare139–157 cmRecorded all year
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year
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
- 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
- Black Swan 110–142 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