Ducks, Geese & Swans

The swans, ducks and geese are medium to large birds. They survive in water. They are prominently found in Great Britain and many birds fly in from Greenland, Scandinavia and Russia.

Characteristics: Webbed feet and bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent.

In many ducks the male is colourful while the female is dull brown.

Diet: Variety of animals and plants.

Order: Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae

Given below is a list of Ducks, Geese and Swans.

Serial no.	Common name	Binomial name	Status
1.	Brent goose	Branta bernicla	A – winter visitor
2.	Red-breasted goose	Branta ruficollis	A – rare vagrant
3.	Canada goose	Branta canadensis	A & C – resident introduced population, some wild vagrants
4.	Barnacle goose	Branta leucopsis	A & C – winter visitor and resident introduced population
5.	Cackling goose	Branta hutchinsii	A – rare vagrant
6.	Ross’s goose	Anser rossii	A – rare vagrant
7.	Snow goose	Anser caerulescens	A & C – resident introduced population, some wild vagrants
8.	Greylag goose	Anser anser	A & C – resident wild and feral populations, winter visitor
9.	Taiga bean goose	Anser fabalis	A – winter visitor
10.	Pink-footed goose	Anser brachyrhynchus	A – winter visitor
11.	Tundra bean goose	Anser serrirostris	A – winter visitor
12.	White-fronted goose	Anser albifrons	A – winter visitor
13.	Lesser white-fronted goose	Anser erythropus	A – rare vagrant
14.	Mute swan	Cygnus olur	A & C – resident breeding species
15.	Bewick’s swan	Cygnus columbianus	A – winter visitor
16.	Whooper swan	Cygnus cygnus	A – winter visitor and occasional breeder
17.	Egyptian goose	Alopochen aegyptiaca	C – resident introduced population
18.	Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
19.	Ruddy shelduck	Tadorna ferruginea	B – Records since 1946 are presumed escapes from captivity
20.	Mandarin duck	Aix galericulata	C – resident introduced population
21.	Baikal teal	Sibirionetta formosa	A – rare vagrant
22.	Garganey	Spatula querquedula	A – breeding summer visitor
23.	Blue-winged teal	Spatula discors	A – rare vagrant
24.	Shoveler	Spatula clypeata	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
25.	Gadwall	Mareca strepera	A & C – resident breeder and winter visitor
26.	Falcated duck	Mareca falcata	A – rare vagrant
27.	Wigeon	Mareca penelope	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
28.	American wigeon	Mareca americana	A – scarce vagrant
29.	Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	A & C – resident breeder, winter visitor and naturalised releases
30.	Black duck	Anas rubripes	A – rare vagrant
31.	Pin tail	Anas acuta	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
32.	Teal	Anas crecca	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
33.	Green-winged teal	Anas carolinensis	A – scarce migrant
34.	Red-crusted pochard	Netta rufina	A & C – scarce migrant and introduced breeder
35.	Canvasback	Aythya valisineria	A – rare vagrant
36.	Redhead	Aythya americana	A – rare vagrant
37.	Pochard	Aythya ferina	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
38.	Ferruginous duck	Aythya nyroca	A – scarce migrant
39.	Ring-necked duck	Aythya collaris	A – scarce migrant
40.	Tufted duck	Aythya fuligula	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
41.	Scaup	Aythya marila	A – winter visitor and occasional breeder
42.	Lesser scaup	Aythya affinis	A – rare vagrant
43.	Steller’s eider	Polysticta stelleri	A – rare vagrant
44.	King’s eider	Somateria spectabilis	A – rare vagrant
45.	Eider	Somateria mollissima	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
46.	Harlequin duck	Histrionicus histrionicus	A – rare vagrant
47.	Surf scoter	Melanitta perspicillata	A – scarce migrant
48.	Velvet scoter	Melanitta fusca	A – winter visitor
49.	White-winged scoter	Melanitta deglandi	A – rare vagrant
50.	Stejneger’s scoter	Melanitta stejnegeri	A – rare vagrant, first recorded 2022
51.	Common scoter	Melanitta nigra	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
52.	Black scoter	Melanitta americana	A – rare vagrant
53.	Long-tailed duck	Clangula hyemalis	A – winter visitor and occasional breeder
54.	Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	A – rare vagrant
55.	Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
56.	Barrow’s goldeneye	Bucephala islandica	A – rare vagrant
57.	Smew	Mergellus albellus	A – winter visitor
58.	Hooded merganser	Lophodytes cucullatus	A – rare vagrant
59.	Goosander	Mergus merganser	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
60.	Red-breasted merganser	Mergus serrator	A – resident breeder and winter visitor
61.	Ruddy duck	Oxyura jamaicensis	C – introduced species currently subject to an eradication programme

List of birds of Great Britain

List of British Birds: List of British Birds provides an insight into the various types of birds that are found all over Great Britain. There are a total of 634 species of birds found in Great Britain as of 13th February 2024. The bird list in Britain is managed by the British Records Committee. In this article, we have provided the list of birds, their common and binomial names and their status. The list covers a list of British birds like Ducks, Geese and Allies, Nightjars, Swifts, Cuckoos, Bustards, Cranes, Grebes, Oystercatchers, Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers, Stilts and Avocets, Albatrosses name a few.

Ducks, Geese & Swans

List of birds of Great Britain

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