Ducks, Geese & Swans in Washington
Our list for Washington has 29 ducks, geese & swans recorded regularly there: 6 residents, 1 summer visitor, 18 winter visitors and 4 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in Washington in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 29, most common first
MallardAnas platyrhynchosResidentCommon50–65 cmRecorded all year
Canada GooseBranta canadensisResidentCommon76–110 cmRecorded all year
GoldeneyeBucephala clangulaWinter visitorCommon40–51 cmRegularly Nov–Apr
Common MerganserMergus merganserWinter visitorCommon58–68 cmRecorded all year
Eurasian TealAnas creccaWinter visitorCommon34–38 cmRegularly Aug–Jun
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusWinter visitorCommon40–49 cmRecorded all year
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorCommon48–60 cmRecorded all year
GadwallMareca streperaResidentCommon46–56 cmRecorded all year
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serratorWinter visitorCommon52–58 cmRegularly Oct–May
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsiiWinter visitorCommon53–76 cmRegularly Sep–May
Northern PintailAnas acutaWinter visitorCommon59–76 cmRegularly Aug–May
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeataWinter visitorCommon44–51 cmRecorded all year
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorWinter visitorCommon139–157 cmRegularly Oct–Mar
Wood DuckAix sponsaResidentCommon47–54 cmRecorded all year
Snow GooseAnser caerulescensWinter visitorUncommon69–84 cmRegularly Sep–May
Greater ScaupAythya marilaWinter visitorUncommon39–56 cmRegularly Aug–May
Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanopteraSummer visitorUncommon36–43 cmRegularly Jan–Oct
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifronsWinter visitorUncommon64–81 cmRegularly Aug–May
Brent GooseBranta berniclaWinter visitorUncommon55–66 cmRegularly Oct–May
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisResidentUncommon35–43 cmRecorded all year
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelopeWinter visitorUncommon42–51 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusWinter visitorUncommon120–150 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorUncommon37–60 cmRegularly Oct–May
Smallest to largest
Length, cm- Eurasian Teal 34–38 cm
- Ruddy Duck 35–43 cm
- Cinnamon Teal 36–43 cm
- Tufted Duck 40–47 cm
- Hooded Merganser 40–49 cm
- Mandarin Duck 41–49 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
- 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
- Whooper Swan 140–165 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