How many Waterfowl (Anatidae) species have you seen?

I’ve seen ten species in the wild, I have no idea on the number of captive species though.

Here’s my wild list:
Black Swan
Blue-billed Duck
Radjah Shelduck
Plumed Whistling Duck
Wandering Whistling Duck
Mallard (feral)
Australian Wood Duck
Pacific Black Duck
Grey Teal
Hardhead
 
I have a total of 105 captive taxa from 100 species since 2017 when I started my list. Of this number, I have worked with 69 taxa in four collections. Possibly the rarest species I have worked with the scaly-sided merganser but my favourite species to work with is the Laysan teal. They are a honour to work with due to their endangerment but also extremely personable and friendly.

My wild list is rather small as I only started listing at the beginning of this year. It currently sits at 18 taxa, including 4 scoters (Velvet, common, white-winged and surf). Crazy to think I managed to get white-winged scoter before tufted duck.
 
Had a quick look in my notes and I discovered that I've neglected waterfowl a lot when I was younger and I can't find out anymore when, where and which I've seen but by going through the complete waterfowl-species list I came to 145 species seen for sure - maybe even 4 to 6 species more.Working at Walsrode, visiting a good number of zoos, private waterfowl-collections and some visits to several VERY large waterfowldealers back in the 1980s helped a lot to reach this number :) !
From these I took care for at least 110 species and around 40 of these 145 species I've seen in the wild.
Species which are realy high on my wish-list are :
-Blue duck
-Brazilian merganser
-Salvadori teal
 
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ChunkyMunky pengopus said:
My list has expanded despite not leaving my county, and my county doesn't have any bodies of water much larger than a pond. My list is now 6, but once I visiting zoos again (namely the St. Louis zoo) it can probably go up higher.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Greater White-Fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos)
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Northern Shoveler Duck (Spatula clypeata)
Blue-Winged Teal (Anas discors)
Click to expand...
Update:

Bold for seen in the wild, Underlined for seen in captivity, Both for both

1. Tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus)
2. Trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator)
3. Black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus)
4. Canada goose (Branta canadensis)
5. Cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii)
6. Red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis)
7. Snow goose (Anser caerulescens)
8. Greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)
9. Bar-headed goose (Anser indicus)
10. Cape barren goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)
11. African pygmy-goose (Nettapus auritus)
12. Black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
13. White-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata)
14. Wood duck (Aix sponsa)
15. Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)
16. Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos)
17. Northern pintail (Anas acuta)
18. Green-winged teal (Anas crecca)
19. Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
20. Redhead (Aythya americana)
21. Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis)
22. Baer's pochard (Aythya baeri)
23. New zealand scaup (Aythya novaeseelandiae)
24. Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata)
25. Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
26. Brazilian teal (Amazonetta brasiliensis)
27. Ringed teal (Callonetta leucophrys)
28. Northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
29. Blue-winged teal (Spatula discors)
30. Blue-billed teal (Spatula hottentota)
31. Puna teal (Spatula puna)
32. Silver teal (Spatula versicolor)
33. Baikal teal (Sibirionetta formosa)
34. Ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
35. Australian wood duck (Chenonetta jubata)
36. American wigeon (Mareca americana)
37. Chiloé wigeon (Mareca sibilatrix)
38. Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
39. Southern pochard (Netta erythrophthalma)
40. Rosy-billed pochard (Netta peposaca)
41. Red-crested pochard (Netta rufina)
42. Marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
43. Freckled duck (Stictonetta naevosa)
44. Hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
45. Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator)
46. Common merganser (Mergus merganser)
47. Smew (Mergellus albellus)
48. Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
49. Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
50. Common eider (Somateria mollissima)

50/165 total, 37/165 captive, 22/165 wild
 
I haven't got a captive list, but for wild:
  1. Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
  2. Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
  3. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
  4. Shoveller (Spatula clypeata)
  5. Garganey (Spatula querquedula)
  6. Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
  7. Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
  8. Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)
  9. Mandarin (Aix galericulata)
  10. Eider (Somateria mollissima)
  11. Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
  12. Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
  13. Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
  14. Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)
  15. Brent Goose (Branta bernicla)
  16. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
  17. Greylag Goose (Anser anser)
  18. White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
  19. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Not a particularly impressive list, but certainly not bad. My favourite of the above would probably be the Garganey; I remember birding with family in their home county of Somerset and going out of our way to find what was allegedly the county's only breeding pair of the species, which we were ultimately successful in doing.

I wonder to which waterfowl species will be my twentieth!
 
I have seen 52 species in the wild (don't keep captive records). I have now seen all Australian species except the cotton pygmy goose. This year I have added both brant and cackling geese, maybe not notable for many here but nice to broadened Branta out from just Canadian geese.

Magpie goose
American wood duck
Egyptian goose
Northern pintail
American wigeon
Green-winged teal
Chestnut teal
Brown teal
Grey teal
Eurasian wigeon
Mallard
Garganey
American black duck
African black duck
Pacific black duck
Hardhead
Tufted duck
Greater scaup
Musk duck
Brant goose
Canada goose
Cackling goose
Bufflehead
Common goldeneye
Cape Barren goose
Maned duck
Long-tailed duck
Black swan
Trumpeter swan
Mute swan
Wandering whistling duck
Plumed whistling duck
Lesser whistling duck
White-faced whistling duck
Harlequin duck
Pink-eared duck
Gadwall
Surf scoter
Common merganser
Red-breasted merganser
Green pygmy goose
Blue-billed duck
Spur-winged goose
Radjar shelduck
Northern shoveler
Cinnamon teal
Blue-winged teal
Australasian shoveler
Freckled duck
Common (Eurasian) shelduck
Australian shelduck
Paradise shelduck
 
One addition to my wild list this year; Sunda Teal. One I may be tempted for if viewing conditions improve is the Stejneger’s Scoter in Scotland at the moment; an excellent drake but distant on poor tides in freezing conditions isn’t yet tipping the scales to promote a twitch....
 
On copying and pasting this from my list, I realised I hadn't included tundra bean goose, which I have seen wild!

Wild in bold and captive in normal! Quite pleased by the below! The taxonomy is slightly junky but awaiting re-jigging into a different format.

  1. White-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata)
  2. Eyton’s tree duck (Dendrocygna eytoni)
  3. Black-bellied whistling duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
  4. Fulvous tree duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)
  5. Spotted whistling duck (Dendrocygna guttata)
  6. Wandering whistling duck (Dendrocygna arcuata)
  7. West Indian whistling duck (Dendrocygna arborea)
  8. Lesser whistling duck (Dendrocygna javanica)
  9. White-backed duck (Thalassornis leuconotus)
  10. Mute swan (Cygnus olor)
  11. Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus)
  12. Black swan (Cygnus atratus)
  13. Trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator)
  14. Black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus)
  15. Tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus)
  16. Greylag goose (Anser anser)
  17. Greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)
  18. Lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus)
  19. Pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus)
  20. Tundra bean goose (Anser serrirostris)
  21. Bar-headed goose (Anser indicus)
  22. Swan goose (Anser cygnoides)
  23. Barnacle goose (Branta leucopsis)
  24. Canada goose (Branta canadensis)
  25. Hawaiian goose (Branta sandvicensis)
  26. Red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis)
  27. Brant (Branta bernicla)
  28. Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus)
  29. African pygmy goose (Nettapus auritus)
  30. Cotton pygmy goose (Nettapus coromandelianus)
  31. Snow goose (Chen caerulescens)
  32. Emperor goose (Chen canagica)
  33. Ross's goose (Chen rossii)
  34. Spur-winged goose (Plectropterus gambensis)
  35. Cape Barren goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae)
  36. Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)
  37. Wood duck (Aix sponsa)
  38. Freckled duck (Stictonetta naevosa)
  39. Comb duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos)
  40. Ringed teal (Callonetta leucophrys)
  41. Brazilian teal (Amazonetta brasiliensis)
  42. Hartlaub's duck (Pteronetta hartlaubii)
  43. Australasian shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis)
  44. Blue-winged teal (Spatula discors)
  45. Puna teal (Spatula puna)
  46. Silver teal (Spatula versicolor)
  47. Cape shoveller (Spatula smithii)
  48. Garganey (Spatula querquedula)
  49. Northen shoveller (Spatula clypeata)
  50. Cinnamon teal (Spatula cyanoptera)
  51. Red shoveller (Spatula platalea)
  52. Madagascar teal (Anas bernieri)
  53. Philippine duck (Anas luzonica)
  54. Sunda teal (Anas gibberifrons)
  55. Northern pintail (Anas acuta)
  56. Yellow-billed duck (Anas undulata)
  57. White-cheeked pintail (Anas bahamensis)
  58. Eurasian teal (Anas crecca)
  59. Green-winged teal (Anas carolinensis)
  60. Yellow-billed teal (Anas flavirostris)
  61. Meller’s duck (Anas melleri)
  62. Cape teal (Anas capensis)
  63. Laysan duck (Anas laysanensis)
  64. Chestnut teal (Anas castanea)
  65. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
  66. Chinese spot-billed duck (Anas zonorhyncha)
  67. Hottentot teal (Anas hottentota)
  68. Baikal teal (Anas formosa)
  69. Red-billed teal (Anas erythrorhyncha)
  70. African black duck (Anas sparsa)
  71. South Georgia pintail (Anas georgica georgica)
  72. Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha)
  73. Pacific black duck (Anas superciliosa)
  74. Eurasian wigeon (Mareca penelope)
  75. American wigeon (Mareca americana)
  76. Falcated teal (Mareca falcata)
  77. Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
  78. Chiloé wigeon (Mareca sibilatrix)
  79. Marbled teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
  80. Maned goose (Chenonetta jubata)
  81. Coscoroba swan (Coscoroba coscoroba)
  82. Orinoco goose (Neochen jubata)
  83. Blue-winged goose (Cyanochen cyanoptera)
  84. Common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
  85. Ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
  86. Raja shelduck (Tadorna radjah)
  87. Paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata)
  88. Cape shelduck (Tadorna cana)
  89. Australian shelduck (Tadorna tadornoides)
  90. Ruddy-headed goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps)
  91. Upland goose (Chloephaga picta)
  92. Andean goose (Chloephaga melanoptera)
  93. Ashy-headed goose (Chloephaga poliocephala)
  94. Magellanic steamer duck (Tachyeres pteneres)
  95. Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata)
  96. White-winged wood duck (Asarcornis scutulata)
  97. Common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
  98. Barrow's goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)
  99. Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
  100. Common scoter (Melanitta nigra)
  101. Smew (Mergellus albellus)
  102. Harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)
  103. Red-crested pochard (Netta rufina)
  104. Rosybill pochard (Netta peposaca)
  105. Southern pochard (Netta erythrophthalma)
  106. Tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)
  107. Baer's pochard (Aythya baeri)
  108. Pochard (Aythya ferina)
  109. Greater scaup (Aythya marila)
  110. Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
  111. Hardhead (Aythya australis)
  112. Ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca)
  113. New Zealand scaup (Aythya novaeseelandiae)
  114. Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)
  115. Redhead (Aythya americana)
  116. South American crested duck (Lophonetta specularioides)
  117. Common eider (Somateria mollissima)
  118. King eider (Somateria spectabilis)
  119. Spectacled eider (Somateria fischeri)
  120. Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis)
  121. Hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
  122. Common merganser (Mergus merganser)
  123. Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator)
  124. Chinese merganser (Mergus squamatus)
  125. Maccoa duck (Oxyura maccoa)
  126. White-headed duck (Oxyura leucocephala)
  127. Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
  128. Lake duck (Oxyura vittata)
  129. Black-headed duck (Heteronetta atricapilla)
  130. Pink-eared duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus)
  131. Bronze-winged duck (Speculanas specularis)
 
1. Spotted Whistling-duck Dendrocygna guttata

2. Plumed Whistling-duck Dendrocygna eytoni

3. White-faced Whistling-duck Dendrocygna viduata

4. Northern Black-bellied Whistling-duck Dendrocygna autumnalis fulgens

5. West Indian Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arborea

6. Fulvous Whistling-duck Dendrocygna bicolor

7. Indonesian Wandering Whistling-duck Dendrocygna arcuata arcuata

8. African White-backed Duck Thalassornis leuconotus

9. Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus

10. Emperor Goose Anser canagicus

11. Lesser Snow Goose Anser caerulescens caerulescens

12. Ross's Goose Anser rossii

13. Swan Goose Anser cygnoides cygnoides

14. Gambel's White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons gambelli

14b. Pacific White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons sponsa

15. Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus

16. Black Brant Branta bernicla nigricans

17. Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis

18. Richardson's Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii

18b. Small Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii minima

18c.Taverner's Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii taverneri

19. Giant Canada Goose Branta canadensis maxima

19b. Western Canada Goose Branta canadensis moffitti

19c. Dusky Canada Goose Branta canadensis occidentalis

19d. Lesser Canada Goose Branta canadensis parvipes

20. Hawaiian Goose Branta sandvicensis

21. Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis

22. Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis novaehollandiae novaehollandiae

23. Freckled Duck Stictonetta naevosa

24. Mute Swan Cygnus olor

25. Black Swan Cygnus atratus

26. Black-necked Swan Cygnus melancoryphus

27. Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator

28. Whistling Swan Cygnus columbianus columbianus

29. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus

30. Coscoroba Swan Coscoroba coscoroba

31. Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis sylvicola

32. Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos

33. Orinoco Goose Oressochen jubatus

34. Andean Goose Oressochen melanopterus

35. Lesser Magellan Goose Chloephaga picta picta

36. Ashy-headed Goose Chloephaga poliocephala

37. Moluccan Radjah Shelduck Radjah radjah radjah

38. Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca

39. Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea

40. South African Shelduck Tadorna cana

41. Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornoides

42. Paradise Shelduck Tadorna variegata

43. Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna

44. Northern Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis gambensis

44b. Southern Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis niger

45. Spectacled Duck Speculanas specularis

46. Domestic Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata domestica

47. Green Pygmy-goose Nettapus pulchellus

48. Asian Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus coromandelianus

49. African Pygmy-goose Nettapus auritus

50. Ringed Teal Callonetta leucophrys

51. Wood Duck Aix sponsa

52. Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

53. Maned Duck Chenonetta jubata

54. Lesser Brazilian Teal Amazonetta brasiliensis brasiliensis

55. Baikal Teal Sibirionetta formosa

56. Blue-billed Teal Spatula hottentota

57. Silver Teal Spatula versicolor ssp.

58. Puna Teal Spatula puna

59. Blue-winged Teal Spatula discors

60. Northern Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera septentrionalium

61. Red Shoveler Spatula platalea

62.. Australian Shoveler Spatula rhynchotis

63. Northern Shoveler Spatula clypeata

64. Northern Gadwall Mareca strepera strepera

65. Falcated Duck Mareca falcata

66. Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope

67. American Wigeon Mareca americana

68. Chiloe Wigeon Mareca sibilatrix

69. South African Black Duck Anas sparsa sparsa

70. Southern Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata undulata

71. Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa

72. Laysan Duck Anas laysanensis

73. Hawaiian Duck Anas wyvilliana

74. Philippine Duck Anas luzonica

75. Indian Spot-billed Duck Anas poecilorhyncha poecilorhyncha

76. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos

77. Mexican Duck Anas diazi

78. Gulf Coast Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula maculosa

79. Florida Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula fulvigula

80. Cape Teal Anas capensis

81. Northern White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis bahamensis

82. Red-billed Duck Anas erythrorhyncha

83. Northern Pintail Anas acuta

84. American Green-winged Teal Anas crecca carolinensis

85. Yellow-billed Teal Anas flavirostris ssp.

86. Sunda Teal Anas gibberifrons

87. Chestnut Teal Anas castanea

88. Bernier's Teal Anas bernieri

89. Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus

90. Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris

91. White-winged Duck Asarcornis scutulata

92. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina

93. Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma ssp.

94. Rosy-billed Pochard Netta peposaca

95. Canvasback Aythya valisineria

96. Redhead Aythya americana

97. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

98. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca

99. Baer's Pochard Aythya baeri

100. Hardhead Aythya australis

101. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula

102. American Greater Scaup Aythya marila nearctica

103. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis

104. King Eider Somateria spectabilis

105. American Eider Somateria mollissima dresseri

105b. Pacific Eider Somateria mollissima v-nigrum

106. Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus

107. Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata

108. White-winged Scoter Melanitta deglandi

109. Black Scoter Melanitta americana

110. Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis

111. Bufflehead Bucephala albeola

112. American Goldeneye Bucephala clangula americana

113. Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica

114. Smew Mergellus albellus

115. Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus

116. American Merganser Mergus merganser americanus

117. Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator

118. Scaly-sided Merganser Mergus squamatus

119. Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

120. White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala

121. Maccoa Duck Oxyura maccoa

122. Lake Duck Oxyura vittata
 
I've seen a total of 101 species - 97 in captivity and 35 wild, with 31 I've seen both wild and captive. The four I've only seen wild are Surf Scoter, Brant, Greater White-fronted Goose, and Red-breasted Merganser.

Two other interesting notes:
- Of the 97 species I've seen captive I saw 93 at the Sylvan Heights Bird Park; the only four I didn't were King Eider, Black-necked Swan, Harlequin Duck and Lesser Scaup.
- Egyptian Goose is the only duck I've seen wild on two continents, as well as in captivity.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
- Egyptian Goose is the only duck I've seen wild on two continents, as well as in captivity.
Click to expand...
Interesting point. If you consider Europe as a continent, I've seen mallard and northern shoveler wild on three continents, and Eurasian wigeon and tufted duck wild on two continents.
 
Last edited:
Chlidonias said:
I'll need to check my lists (on my other laptop) before I know what my total is, but it won't be anywhere near the European totals in this thread. Waterfowl are one area where visiting Australasian and Asian collections doesn't do a whole lot.
Click to expand...
Chlidonias said:
I'm on 47 species in the wild.

Looking at the full Anatidae list I think there are only about 15-ish additional species I have seen captive, so I'd be on about 65 species total. There might be more if I went through all my lists and photos, but these are the captive-only ones I remember right now:

Red-breasted Goose
Chinese Goose (if that counts)
Nene
Knob-billed Goose
Egyptian Goose
Blue-winged Goose
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
White-faced Whistling Duck
Radjah Shelduck
Carolina Wood Duck
African Pigmy Goose
Green Pigmy Goose
Muscovy Duck (domestic)
Auckland Island Teal
Campbell Island Teal
Click to expand...
I have done a proper count-up.

Not including domestics (western and Chinese geese, mucovies, and domestic mallard), I think I am on exactly 70 species total. I have seen 47 species wild, 11 of which are wild-only.


Mute Swan (also wild)
Whooper Swan (also wild)
Black Swan (also wild)
Greylag Goose (only wild)
Swan Goose
Bar-headed Goose (also wild)
Bean Goose
White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose (also wild)
Nene (Hawaiian Goose)
Red-breasted Goose
Egyptian Goose
Blue-winged Goose
Cape Barren Goose (also wild)
Magpie Goose (also wild)
Southern Black-bellied Whistling Duck
White-faced Whistling Duck
Wandering Whistling Duck (also wild)
Lesser Whistling Duck (also wild)
Fulvous Whistling Duck
Spotted Whistling Duck
Plumed Whistling Duck (also wild)
Common Shelduck (also wild)
Ruddy Shelduck (also wild)
Australian Shelduck (also wild)
Paradise Duck (also wild)
Radjah Shelduck
White-winged Wood Duck (only wild)
Asian Comb (Knob-billed) Duck (also wild)
Green Pigmy Goose
White Pigmy Goose (only wild)
Freckled Duck
Australian Wood Duck (also wild)
Blue Duck (also wild)
Mallard (also wild)
Pacific Black Duck (also wild)
Indian Spot-billed Duck (also wild)
Chinese Spot-billed Duck (also wild)
Brown Teal (also wild)
Auckland Island Teal
Campbell Island Teal
Grey Teal (also wild)
Sunda Teal (also wild)
Chestnut Teal (also wild)
Eurasian Teal (only wild)
Eurasian Wigeon (also wild)
Chiloe Wigeon
Gadwall (also wild)
Garganey
Northern Pintail (also wild)
Bahama Pintail
Northern Shoveller (also wild)
Australasian Shoveller (also wild)
Pink-eared Duck (only wild)
Carolina Wood Duck
Mandarin Duck (also wild)
Ferruginous Duck (also wild)
White-eyed Duck (Hardhead) (also wild)
New Zealand Scaup (also wild)
Tufted Duck (also wild)
Greater Scaup (only wild)
Common Pochard (only wild)
Red-crested Pochard (also wild)
Common Goldeneye (only wild)
Blue-billed Duck (only wild)
Ruddy Duck
Musk Duck (only wild)
Goosander (only wild)
Hooded Merganser
Smew
 
I've been to a few zoos that have sizeable waterfowl collections. Looking through my lifelist, for captive waterfowl I've seen 49 species, many of which were between Buttonwood Park Zoo, Franklin Park Zoo, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. In fact, these four zoos have such significant waterfowl collections that there are only two waterfowl species I've seen that I haven't seen at one of those four zoos.
The species I have seen are:
1. Mandarin Duck (Southwicks Zoo, Bird Kingdom)
2. Egyptian Goose (Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)
3. Northern Pintail (Buttonwood Park Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom)
4. Bahama Pintail Duck (Franklin Park Zoo, Southwicks Zoo)
5. Baikal Teal (Franklin Park Zoo)
6. South Georgia Pintail (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
7. Philippine Duck (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
8. Indian Spot-billed Duck (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
9. Puna Teal (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
10. African Yellow-billed Duck (Rosamond Gifford Zoo)
11. Pink-footed Goose (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
12. Emperor Goose (Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo)
13. Swan Goose (Buttonwood Park Zoo, Buffalo Zoo)
14. Lesser White-fronted Goose (Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo)
15. Bar-Headed Goose (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
16. Redhead Duck (Buttonwood Park Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom)
17. Canvasback (Disney's Animal Kingdom, Franklin Park Zoo)
18. Baer's Pochard (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
19. Red-Breasted Goose (Franklin Park Zoo, Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom)
20. Nene (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
21. Bufflehead (Franklin Park Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo)
22. American Goldeneye (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
23. Barrow's Goldeneye (Franklin Park Zoo)
24. Ringed Teal (Capron Park Zoo, Franklin Park Zoo, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)
25. Ross' Goose (Rosamond Gifford Zoo)
26. Australian Wood Duck (Buttonwood Park Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Franklin Park Zoo)
27. Andean Goose (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
28. Magellan Goose (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
29. Coscoroba Swan (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
30. Black Swan (Franklin Park Zoo, Southwicks Zoo)
31. Black-Necked Swan (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
32. Mute Swan (Franklin Park Zoo)
33. Spotted Whistling Duck (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
34. White-faced Whistling Duck (Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Roger Williams Park Zoo, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo)
35. Hooded Merganser (Stone Zoo, Franklin Park Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo)
36. Falcated Teal (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
37. Eurasian Wigeon (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
38. Marbled Teal (Franklin Park Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom)
39. White-Winged Scoter (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
40. Smew (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
41. Common Merganser (Rosamond Gifford Zoo)
42. Red-Breasted Merganser (Franklin Park Zoo)
43. Scaly-Sided Merganser (Franklin Park Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo)
44. Orinoco Goose (Franklin Park Zoo)
45. Rosy-Billed Pochard (Disney's Animal Kingdom, Franklin Park Zoo)
46. African Pygmy Goose (Buttonwood Park Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom)
47. Indian Pygmy Goose (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
48. Argentine Ruddy Duck (Buttonwood Park Zoo)
49. Northern Shoveler (Franklin Park Zoo)

If you want to count it, I've also seen Crested Screamers at Buttonwood Park Zoo, so 50 species in the order Anseriformes.
 
In the wild only (quite a few since I live near prime waterfowl habitat):
Common merganser
American wigeon
Ruddy duck
Canvasback
Redhead
Bluebill
Snow goose
Ross's goose
Hooded merganser
Northern pintail
Northern shoveler
Green-winged teal
Cinnamon teal
Nene goose
White-faced whistling duck
Spur-winged goose


In captivity and the wild
Canada goose
Mallard
Wood duck
Trumpeter swan
Egyptian goose
Mute swan (as an invasive species)
Black-bellied whistling duck

In captivity only:
Black swan
Black-necked swan
Domestic muscovy
Northern screamer
Mandarin duck




 
Here's my list, only counting ones I've seen in the wild (I don't keep captive lists):

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
Brant
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Tundra Swan
Trumpeter Swan
Muscovy Duck
Wood Duck
Mallard
Mexican Duck
American Black Duck
Mottled Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Tufted Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
White-winged Scoter
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck

I've also seen quite a few hybrid taxa in the wild, the most interesting ones being Mallard x Northern Pintail and Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser.
 
birdsandbats said:
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Ross's Goose
Cackling Goose
Mute Swan
Muscovy Duck
Mexican Duck
American Black Duck
Mottled Duck
Eurasian Wigeon
Tufted Duck
Harlequin Duck
Long-tailed Duck
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Click to expand...

You have 7 more wild species than I do - the 14 above are ones I don't have, while I do additionally have Barrow's Goldeneye, Hawaiian Goose, and 5 African species.

Weird that I don't have Tufted Duck, I really thought I did. Mute Swan and Muscovy Duck I've seen several times, but I've never counted them as wild because I wasn't sure if they were breeding or just free-roaming birds owned by the parks department. It seems like every flock of American Wigeon has a foreign exchange bird in it, but I've still never successfully found the Eurasian Wigeon :p
 
Coelacanth18 said:
You have 7 more wild species than I do - the 14 above are ones I don't have, while I do additionally have Barrow's Goldeneye, Hawaiian Goose, and 5 African species.

Weird that I don't have Tufted Duck, I really thought I did. Mute Swan and Muscovy Duck I've seen several times, but I've never counted them as wild because I wasn't sure if they were breeding or just free-roaming birds owned by the parks department. It seems like every flock of American Wigeon has a foreign exchange bird in it, but I've still never successfully found the Eurasian Wigeon :p
Click to expand...
Yeah, Barrow's Goldeneye is the obvious gap in my list of North American waterfowl. I just haven't spent enough time within their range. I am sure I've been around a vagrant one at some point, Wisconsin gets a record every once in a while, but it would just be so hard to pick out among the flocks of Common Goldeneyes that often reach into the thousands. I'm pretty sure I saw a hybrid one once.

Mute Swans are just so hard to know the origins of. I've seen quite a few where I never knew if they were wild or not. The only reason I count it is because I've seen them on some rural ponds where it just would not make sense for them to be captive birds. Muscovies I count based on the feral populations in Florida. I've seen lots of random park Muscovies, some of which probably were feral, but not part of any population (that I know of).

I had two Eurasian Wigeons in a single flock. :p Considering it was in Wisconsin and not anywhere near the West Coast I was quite shocked!
 
There are some very impressive waterfowl lists in this thread!
I've added my list below - the ones marked with a "C" were seen in captivity; the ones marked with a "W" were seen in the wild, and the four that are marked with an "F" were seen in the wild but as feral populations. Most of the captive species were seen at a combination of the San Antonio Zoo, Zoo Tampa, Oklahoma City Zoo, Sedgewick County Zoo, Dallas Zoo, San Diego Zoo, and Busch Gardens Tampa over the period between 1988 and 2020. Same 32-year time frame for the wild waterfowl.

My waterfowl taxonomy is a little rusty so I placed the ducks in this order: Screamers (I added it), Whistling Ducks, Swans, Geese/Shelducks/Atypical Geese, Perching Ducks, Dabbling Ducks, and Diving Ducks/Mergansers/Stiff-tailed Ducks. In a few cases where I tend to use an older common name, I included the scientific name to avoid confusion.

Seen In Wild – 37
Feral Population Seen – 4
Seen in Captivity – 102
Total – 114

Southern (Crested) Screamer (Chauna torquata) ( C )

Black-bellied Whistling Duck (W & C)
Fulvous Whistling Duck (W & C)
White-faced Whistling Duck ( C )
Plumed Whistling Duck ( C )
Javan (Lesser) Whistling Duck ( C )
West Indian Whistling Duck (W & C)
Spotted Whistling Duck ( C )

Coscoroba Swan ( C )
Black Swan ( C )
Mute Swan (F & C)
Black-necked Swan ( C )
Tundra Swan (W & C)
Trumpeter Swan (W & C)
Whooper Swan ( C )

Swan Goose ( C )
Greater White-fronted Goose (W & C)
Lesser White-fronted Goose ( C )
Graylag Goose ( C )
Bar-headed Goose ( C )
Emperor Goose ( C )
Snow Goose (W & C)
Ross’s Goose (W & C)
Cackling Goose (W & C)
Canada Goose (W & C)
Nene (W & C)
Pacific Brant (W)
Barnacle Goose ( C )
Red-breasted Goose ( C )
Common Shelduck ( C )
Ruddy Shelduck ( C )
Cape Shelduck ( C )
Radjah Shelduck ( C )
Australian Shelduck ( C )
Orinoco Goose ( C )
Egyptian Goose (C & F)
Abyssinian Blue-winged Goose ( C )
Andean Goose ( C )
Ashy-headed Goose ( C )
Ruddy-headed Goose ( C )
Cape Barren Goose ( C )
Magpie Goose ( C )

Ringed Teal ( C )
Brazilian Teal ( C )
Mandarin Duck ( C )
North American Wood Duck (W & C)
Australian Wood Duck ( C )
Cotton Pygmy Goose ( C )
African Pygmy Goose ( C )
Comb Duck ( C )
Hartlaub’s Duck ( C )
Muscovy Duck (F & C)
White-winged Wood Duck ( C )

Bronze-winged Duck (Speculanas specularis) ( C )
Patagonian Crested Duck (Lophonetta specularioides) ( C )
Flightless (Magellanic) Steamer Duck ( C )
Marbled Teal ( C )
Puna Teal ( C )
Silver Teal ( C )
Cape Teal ( C )
Hottentot Teal ( C )
White-cheeked Pintail ( C )
Red-billed Pintail ( C )
Yellow-billed Duck ( C )
Northern Pintail (W & C)
Brown Pintail (Anas georgica) ( C )
Sharp-winged Teal ( C )
Green-winged Teal (W & C)
Baikal Teal ( C )
Falcated Teal ( C )
Madagascar Teal (Anas bernieri) ( C )
Chestnut Teal ( C )
Mallard (W, F, & C)
North American Black Duck (W)
Mottled Duck (W)
Hawaiian Duck (W)
Laysan Teal ( C )
Spot-billed Duck (Anas poecilorhyncha) ( C )
Philippine Duck ( C )
Gadwall (W)
American Wigeon (W & C)
Chiloe Wigeon ( C )
European Wigeon ( C )
Garganey ( C )
Blue-winged Teal (W & C)
Cinnamon Teal (W & C)
Northern Shoveler (W & C)
Red Shoveler ( C )
Australian Shoveler ( C )
Freckled Duck ( C )

Common Eider ( C )
Red-crested Pochard ( C )
Rosybill Pochard ( C )
African Pochard (Netta erythrophthalma) ( C )
Canvasback (W & C)
Redhead (W & C)
Baer’s Pochard ( C )
Ring-necked Duck (W)
Lesser Scaup (W)
Greater Scaup (W)
White-winged Scoter ( W )
Surf Scoter ( W )
Harlequin Duck ( C )
Common Goldeneye ( W )
Bufflehead (W & C)
Smew ( C )
Hooded Merganser (W & C)
Red-breasted Merganser (W)
Common Merganser (W & C)
Scaly-sided Merganser (Mergus squamatus) ( C )
North American Rudy Duck (W & C)
Argentine Ruddy Duck (Oxyura vittata) ( C )
Maccoa Duck ( C )
White-backed Duck ( C )
 
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This is going purely off species I specifically remember seeing. This is by no means a full list.

1. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
2. Canada goose (Branta canadensis)
3. Domestic goose (Anser anser domesticus)
4. Swan goose (Anser cygnoides)
5. Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)
6. Cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii)
7. White-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata)
8. Mute swan (Cygnus olor)
9. Black swan (Cygnus atratus)
10. Black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus)
11. Trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator)
12. Bar-headed goose (Anser indicus)
13. Ross's goose (Anser rossii)
14. Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
15. Redhead (Aythya americana)
16. Ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca)
17. Northern pintail (Anas acuta)
18. Blue-winged teal (Spatula discors)
19. Northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
20. Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
21. Hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
22. Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
23. White-winged duck (Asarcornis scutulata)
24. Wood duck (Aix sponsa)
25. Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)
26. Marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris)
27. Ringed teal (Callonetta leucophrys)
 
I have seen a total of 108 species, excluding hybrids and domestics:

W = Wild
C = Captive
B = Both

Mute Swan (C)
Tundra Swan (C)
Trumpeter Swan (B)
Black-Necked Swan (C)
Black Swan (C)
Coscoroba Swan (C)
Greylag Goose (C)
Swan Goose (C)
Canada Goose (B)
Nene (C)
Barnacle Goose (C)
Brant (C)
Greater White-Fronted Goose (W)
Snow Goose (B)
Ross's Goose (C)
Emperor Goose (C)
Bar-Headed Goose (C)
Orinoco Goose (C)
Andean Goose (C)
Magellan Goose (C)
Ashy-Headed Goose (C)
Ruddy-Headed Goose (C)
Spur-Winged Goose (C)
Egyptian Goose (C)
Blue-Winged Goose (C)
Cape Barren Goose (C)
Red-Breasted Goose (C)
Mallard (B)
American Black Duck (B)
African Black Duck (C)
Pacific Black Duck (C)
Meller's Duck (C)
Philippine Duck (C)
Eastern Spot-Billed Duck (C)
Indian Spot-Billed Duck (C)
Yellow-Billed Duck (C)
Hawaiian Duck (C)
Laysan Teal (C)
Northern Pintail ((B)
Yellow-Billed Pintail (C)
White-Cheeked Pintail (C)
Northern Shoveler (B)
Australasian Shoveler (C)
Red Shoveler (C)
Red-Crested Pochard (C)
Rosy-Billed Pochard (C)
Southern Pochard (C)
Baer's Pochard (C)
Canvasback (B)
Redhead (C)
Ferruginous Duck (C)
Hardhead (C)
Wood Duck (B)
Mandarin Duck (C)
Green-Winged Teal (B)
Blue-Winged Teal (B)
Cinnamon Teal (C)
Chestnut Teal (C)
Ringed Teal (C)
Brazilian Teal (C)
Marbled Teal (C)
Silver Teal (C)
Blue-Billed Teal (C)
Cape Teal (C)
Madagascar Teal (C)
Baikal Teal (C)
Common Shelduck (C)
Radjah Shelduck (C)
Ruddy Shelduck (C)
Paradise Shelduck (C)
African Comb Duck (C)
White-Faced Whistling Duck (C)
Black-Bellied Whistling Duck (C)
Fulvous Whistling Duck (C)
West Indian Whistling Duck (C)
Lesser Whistling Duck (C)
Plumed Whistling Duck (C)
Wandering Whistling Duck (C)
American Wigeon (B)
Chiloé Wigeon (C)
Eurasian Wigeon (C)
Gadwall (W)
Freckled Duck (C)
Muscovy Duck (wild form) (C)
White-Winged Duck (C)
Hartlaub's Duck (C)
Flying Steamer Duck (C)
Common Eider (C)
Maned Duck (C)
Pink-Eared Duck (C)
White-Backed Duck (C)
African Pygmy Goose (C)
Green Pygmy Goose (C)
Cotton Pygmy Goose (C)
Common Merganser (C)
Scaly-Sided Merganser (C)
Hooded Merganser (B)
Bufflehead (B)
Common Goldeneye (C)
Ring-Necked Duck (B)
Greater Scaup (C)
Lesser Scaup (B)
New Zealand Scaup (C)
Harlequin Duck (C)
Smew (C)
Surf Scoter (W)
Ruddy Duck (B)
Lake Duck (C)
 
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