left to right: chicks, adult walking, adult swimming
(click on an image to enlarge)
Order Anseriformes - swans, geese, ducks
In Maine, 45 species in 18 genera in 1 family (Anatidae) have been reported. Click on a link below or scroll down for more information.
Family Anatidae
Dendrocygna (2 species)
Dendrocygna autumnalis - Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Dendrocygna bicolor - Fulvous Whistling Duck
Anser (4 species)
Anser caerulescens - Snow Goose
Anser rossii - Ross’s Goose
Anser albifrons - Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser brachyrhyncus - Pink-footed Goose
Branta (4 species)
Branta bernicla - Brant
Branta leucopsis - Barnacle Goose
Branta hutchinsii - Cackling Goose
Branta canadensis - Canada Goose
Cygnus (3 species)
Cygnus olor - Mute Swan
Cygnus buccinator - Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus columbianus - Tundra Swan
Aix (1 species)
Aix sponsa - Wood Duck
Spatula (3 species)
Spatula querquedula - Garganey
Spatula discors - Blue-winged Teal
Spatula clypeata - Northern Shoveler
Mareca (3 species)
Mareca strepera - Gadwall
Mareca penelope - Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca americana - American Wigeon
Anas (4 species)
Anas platyrhynchos - Mallard
Anas rubripes - American Black Duck
Anas acuta - Northern Pintail
Anas crecca - Green-winged Teal
Aythya (6 species)
Aythya valisineria - Canvasback
Aythya americana - Redhead
Aythya collaris - Ring-necked Duck
Aythya fuligula - Tufted Duck
Aythya marila - Greater Scaup
Aythya affinis - Lesser Scaup
Polysticta (1 species)
Polysticta stelleri - Steller’s Eider
Somateria (2 species)
Somateria spectabilis - King Eider
Somateria mollissima - Common Eider
Histrionicus (1 species)
Histrionicus histrionicus - Harlequin Duck
Melanitta (3 species)
Melanitta perspicillata - Surf Scoter
Melanitta deglandi - White-winged scoter
Melanitta americana - Black Scoter
Clangula (1 species)
Clangula hyemalis - Long-tailed Duck
Bucephala (3 species)
Bucephala albeola - Bufflehead
Bucephala clangula - Common Goldeneye
Bucephala islandica - Barrow’s Goldeneye
Lophodytes (1 species)
Lophodytes cucullatus - Hooded Merganser
Mergus (2 species)
Mergus merganser - Common Merganser
Mergus serrator - Red-breasted Merganser
Oxyura (1 species)
Oxyura jamaicensis - Ruddy Duck
Family Anatidae (swans, geese, ducks)
Key to the genera of Family Anatidae reported in Maine
| char. 1 | dabbler, diver, other | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| Dendrocygna | |||||
| Anser | |||||
| Branta | |||||
| Cygnus | |||||
| Aix | dabbler | ||||
| Spatula | dabbler | ||||
| Mareca | dabbler | ||||
| Anas | dabbler | ||||
| Aythya | dabbler | ||||
| Polysticta | |||||
| Somateria | |||||
| Histrionicus | |||||
| Melanitta | diver | ||||
| Clangula | diver | ||||
| Bucephala | diver | ||||
| Lophodytes | diver | ||||
| Mergus | diver | ||||
| Oxyura | diver |
Dendrocygna (Whistling Duck)
Key to the species of Dendrocygna reported in Maine
| bill | wings | tail | head | breast, underside | |
| D. autumnalis | bright rose-pink | white patch | all dark | gray | dark |
| D. bicolor | dark | all dark | white band at tip | tan-buff | tan-buff |
Dendrocygna autumnalis (Black-bellied Whistling Duck) - This species is rare in Maine.
Dendrocygna bicolor (Fulvous Whistling Duck) - This species is rare in Maine.
Anser (Goose)
Sexes alike.
Key to the species of Anser reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| A. caerulescens | |||||
| A. rossii | |||||
| A. albifrons | |||||
| A. brachyrhyncus |
Anser caerulescens (Snow Goose) - [information to be added]
Anser rossii (Ross’s Goose) - This species is rare in Maine.
Anser albifrons (Greater White-fronted Goose) - [information to be added]
Anser brachyrhyncus (Pink-footed Goose) - This species is rare in Maine.
Branta (Brant, Goose)
Sexes alike.
Key to the species of Branta reported in Maine
| chest color | head | neck (relative) length | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| B. bernicia | black (above water) | white throat patch | short | ||
| B. leucopsis | black (above water) | white chin strap extending across forehead | medium | ||
| B. hutchinsii | white | white chin strap | short | ||
| B. canadensis | white | white chin strap | long |
Branta bernicia (Brant) - [information to be added]
Branta leucopsis (Barnacle Goose) - This species is rare in Maine.
Branta hutchinsii (Cackling Goose) - [information to be added]
Branta canadensis (Canada Goose) - [information to be added]
left to right: chicks, adult walking, adult swimming
(click on an image to enlarge)
Cygnus (Swan)
[information to be added]
Key to the species of Cygnus reported in Maine
| bill color | neck shape while swimming | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| C. olor | orange with black knob | curved | |||
| C. buccinator | black | straight | |||
| C. columbianus | black will small yellow spot at base | straight |
Cygnus olor (Mute Swan) - introduced and naturalized
Cygnus buccinator (Trumpeter Swan) - introduced and naturalized; This species is rare in Maine.
Cygnus columbianus (Tundra Swan) - This species is rare in Maine.
Aix (Wood Duck)
This is a dabbling duck.
Aix sponsa (Wood Duck) - [information to be added]
Male (left) and female (right):
(click on an image to enlarge)
Spatula (common name?)
These are dabbling ducks.
Key to the species of Spatula reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| S. querquedula | |||||
| S. discors | |||||
| S. clypeata |
Spatula querquedula (Garganey) - This species is rare in Maine.
Spatula discors (Blue-winged Teal) - [information to be added]
Spatula clypeata (Northern Shoveler) - [information to be added]
Mareca (Gadwall, Wigeon)
These are dabbling ducks.
Key to the species of Mareca reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| M. strepera | |||||
| M. penelope | |||||
| M. americana |
Mareca strepera (Gadwall) - [information to be added]
Mareca penelope (Eurasian Wigeon) - [information to be added]
Mareca americana (American Wigeon) - [information to be added]
Anas (common name?)
These are dabbling ducks.
Key to the species of Anas reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| A. platyrhynchos | |||||
| A. rubripes | |||||
| A. acuta | |||||
| A. crecca |
Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard) - [information to be added]
pair (male left, female right) walking:
(click on image to enlarge)
male walking and swimming:
(click on an image to enlarge)
female walking and swimming (with chicks):
(click on an image to enlarge)
| Anas rubripes (American black duck) |
Anas acuta (Northern Pintail) - [information to be added]
Anas crecca (Green-winged Teal) - [information to be added]
Aythya (common name?)
These are diving ducks.
Key to the species of Aythya reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| A. valisineria | |||||
| A. americana | |||||
| A. collaris | |||||
| A. fuligula | |||||
| A. marila | |||||
| A. affinis |
Aythya valisineria (Canvasback) - [information to be added]
Aythya americana (Redhead) - [information to be added]
Aythya collaris (Ring-necked Duck) - [information to be added]
Aythya fuligula (Tufted Duck) - This species is rare in Maine.
Aythya marila (Greater Scaup) - [information to be added]
Aythya affinis (Lesser Scaup) - [information to be added]
Polysticta (Eider)
[information to be added]
Polysticta stelleri (Steller’s Eider) - Acceptance of this species as a ember of Maine’s avifauna is provisional. This species is rare in Maine.
Somateria (Eider)
These are diving ducks.
Key to the species of Somateris reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| S. spectabilis | |||||
| S. mollissima |
Somateria spectabilis (King Eider) - [information to be added]
| Somateria mollissima (common eider) |
Histrionicus (Harlequin Duck)
[information to be added]
Histrionicus histrionicus (Harlequin Duck) - [information to be added]
Melanitta (Scoter)
These are diving ducks.
Key to the species of Melanitta reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| M. perspicillata | |||||
| M. deglandi | |||||
| M. americana |
Melanitta perspicillata (Surf Scoter) - [information to be added]
Melanitta deglandi (White-winged Scoter) - [information to be added]
Melanitta americana (Black Scoter) - [information to be added]
Clangula (Long-tailed Duck)
This is a diving duck.
Clangula hyemalis (Long-tailed Duck) - [information to be added]
Bucephala (Bufflehead, Goldeneye)
These are diving ducks.
Key to the species of Bucephala reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| B. albeola | |||||
| B. clangula | |||||
| B. islandica |
Bucephala albeola (Bufflehead) - [information to be added]
(photo by Jose Chumbe; click on image to enlarge)
Male (left) and female (right)
(click on image to enlarge)
Bucephala clangula (Common Goldeneye) - [information to be added]
Bucephala islandica (Barrow’s Goldeneye) - [information to be added]
Lophodytes (Merganser)
This is a diving duck.
Lophodytes cucullatus (Hooded Merganser) - [information to be added]
Male:
(click on image to enlarge)
Male (left) and female (right):
(click on image to enlarge)
Mergus (Merganser)
These are diving ducks.
Key to the species of Mergus reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| M. merganser | |||||
| M. serrator |
Mergus merganser (Common Merganser) - [information to be added]
Male:
(click on image to enlarge)
Male (left) and female (right) with raised tails:
(click on image to enlarge)
Mergus serrator (Red-breasted Merganser) - [information to be added]
Oxyura (common name?)
This is a diving duck.
Oxyura jamaicensis (Ruddy Duck) - [information to be added]