Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Dakota
48 waterfowl recorded in South Dakota on the eBird network and profiled in the Birbs encyclopedia — the full list, with photos, sounds and ID notes, plus what's near you now.
48 waterfowl have been recorded in South Dakota on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and carry a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia. Every bird below is a member of this group — the family Anatidae. Start with the well-known species, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
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Ducks, Geese & Swans of South Dakota to know first
American Black DuckAnas rubripes
American WigeonMareca americana
Barrow’s GoldeneyeBucephala islandica
Black ScoterMelanitta americana
Black SwanCygnus atratus
Black-bellied Whistling DuckDendrocygna autumnalis
Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
Brant GooseBranta bernicla
BuffleheadBucephala albeola
Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsii
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
CanvasbackAythya valisineria
Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanoptera
Common EiderSomateria mollissima
Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
Common MerganserMergus merganser
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
Eurasian TealAnas crecca
The full list — 48 waterfowl of South Dakota in our library
- American Black Duck
- American Wigeon
- Barrow’s Goldeneye
- Black Scoter
- Black Swan
- Black-bellied Whistling Duck
- Blue-winged Teal
- Brant Goose
- Bufflehead
- Cackling Goose
- Canada Goose
- Canvasback
- Cinnamon Teal
- Common Eider
- Common Goldeneye
- Common Merganser
- Egyptian Goose
- Eurasian Teal
- Eurasian Wigeon
- Fulvous Whistling Duck
- Gadwall
- Greater Scaup
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Greylag Goose
- Harlequin Duck
- Hooded Merganser
- King Eider
- Lesser Scaup
- Long-tailed Duck
- Mallard
- Mandarin Duck
- Mottled Duck
- Muscovy Duck
- Mute Swan
- Northern Pintail
- Northern Shoveler
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Redhead
- Ring-necked Duck
- Ross’s Goose
- Ruddy Duck
- Snow Goose
- Surf Scoter
- Swan Goose
- Trumpeter Swan
- Tundra Swan
- White-winged Scoter
- Wood Duck
Keep exploring
- Birds of South Dakota
- New World Warblers of South Dakota (41 species)
- Sandpipers & Allies of South Dakota (32 species)
- New World Sparrows of South Dakota (29 species)
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of South Dakota (24 species)
- Tyrant Flycatchers of South Dakota (21 species)
Ducks, Geese & Swans in other regions
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of California (74 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Texas (71 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Florida (70 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of New York (69 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Maryland (62 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Oregon (62 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Pennsylvania (62 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Massachusetts (60 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Washington (60 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Ohio (59 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Alaska (58 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of Tennessee (58 species)
Species and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Family grouping follows the IOC World Bird List. Tap any bird for its full profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many waterfowl are found in South Dakota?
48 waterfowl that we profile appear on South Dakota's eBird-reported checklist. The full A–Z list is on this page; the real total can shift as eBird records are added.
Are all of these waterfowl really found there?
Yes — each one is on South Dakota's eBird checklist (reported by birders to the Cornell Lab's eBird), and each of these waterfowl belongs to the family group named on this page. We don't rank them by abundance, because that varies by season and locale.
Where can I see waterfowl in South Dakota right now?
Use Birds Near You for live, location-based reports, or turn on rare-bird alerts to hear when a notable one shows up close to you.