List of Birds of Iowa - Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Order: Anseriformes. Family: Anatidae

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. There are 43 Iowa species.

• Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (C)
• Taiga Bean-Goose, Anser fabalis (A)
• Greater White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons
• Snow Goose, Chen caerulescens
• Ross's Goose, Chen rossii
• Brant, Branta bernicla (C)
• Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsonii
• Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
• Mute Swan, Cygnus olor (I)
• Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator
• Tundra Swan, Cygnus columbianus
• Wood Duck, Aix sponsa
• Gadwall, Anas strepera
• Eurasian Wigeon, Anas penelope (A)
• American Wigeon, Anas americana
• American Black Duck, Anas rubripes
• Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
• Mottled Duck, Anas fulvigula (A)
• Blue-winged Teal, Anas discors
• Cinnamon Teal, Anas cyanoptera
• Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata
• Northern Pintail, Anas acuta
• Garganey, Anas querquedula (A)
• Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca
• Canvasback, Aythya valisineria
• Redhead, Aythya americana
• Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris
• Greater Scaup, Aythya marila
• Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis
• King Eider, Somateria spectabilis (A)
• Common Eider, Somateria mollissima (A)
• Harlequin Duck, Histrionicus histrionicus (A)
• Surf Scoter, Melanitta perspicillata
• White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca
• Black Scoter, Melanitta americana
• Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis
• Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola
• Common Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula
• Barrow's Goldeneye, Bucephala islandica (A)
• Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus
• Common Merganser, Mergus merganser
• Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator
• Ruddy Duck, Oxyura jamaicensis