List of Anseriformes by population List of bird species related to the goose
This is a list of Anseriformes species by global population. While numbers are estimates, they have been made by the experts in their fields.
Anseriformes (Anser being Latin for "goose" ) is the taxonomic order to which the ducks , geese , swans , and screamers belong. BirdLife International has assessed 166 species; 89 (54% of total species) have had their population estimated. A variety of methods are used for counting waterfowl. For example, in North America, national and sub-national agencies use planes and helicopters to make aerial transects of breeding populations, and extrapolate these counts over the species' known ranges. Methodologies are continuously being refined; thus estimates can be expected to become more accurate over time. Forecasts can be made by studying habitat condition trends and by interviewing local experts.[ 1] For more information on how these estimates were ascertained, see Wikipedia's articles on population biology and population ecology .
The first bird in this list, the crested shelduck , retains a status of Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List but may in fact be extinct. The last confirmed reporting was in 1964 near Vladivostok . North Korea claimed a sighting in March 1971, but this record is highly suspect. Unconfirmed reports do, however, periodically roll in from Northeast China , giving scientists hope that the last individual has not yet died.[ 2]
To be assessed as Critically Endangered a species must have experienced a decline of at least 80% in the past ten years or three generations, or be projected to decline that much in the future ten years or three generations.[ 3] As some species below are rapidly approaching their minimum viable population (MVP), the future may see their removal from the list and addition to the preceding paragraph.
Extinct species:
Species by global population
Common name
Binomial name
Population
Status
Trend
Notes
Image
Crested shelduck
Tadorna cristata
1-49 [ 13]
CR [ 13]
?[ 13]
Madagascar pochard
Aythya innotata
30-50 [ 14]
CR [ 14]
[ 14]
Rediscovered in 2008.[ 14]
Brazilian merganser
Mergus octosetaceus
50-249 [ 15]
CR [ 15]
[ 15]
This is a precautionary estimate. Actual population may exceed this estimate.[ 15]
Baer's pochard
Aythya baeri
150-700 [ 16]
CR [ 16]
[ 16]
Andaman teal
Anas albogularis
250-999 [ 17]
VU [ 17]
[ 17]
Estimate is for mature individuals only; numbers may be higher.[ 17]
White-winged duck
Asarcornis scutulata
250-999 [ 18]
EN [ 18]
[ 18]
Auckland teal
Anas aucklandica
330-1,700
1,000-1,700 [ 19]
NT [ 19]
[ 19]
First given estimate is obtained from considering multiple counts over the years. The second is purely the 2021 estimate.[ 19]
Campbell teal
Anas nesiotis
> c. 500 [ 20]
VU [ 20]
[ 20]
No formal count has been conducted. This is an opportunistic estimate.[ 20]
Laysan duck
Anas laysanensis
500-680 [ 21]
CR [ 21]
[ 21]
No total population estimate is given due to the birds rarity.[ 21]
Bernier's teal
Anas bernieri
630-1,900 [ 22]
EN [ 22]
[ 23]
Total population is not given. This estimate for mature individuals is based on multiple counts over the years.[ 22]
Blue duck
Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos
1,200 [ 23]
EN [ 23]
[ 23]
Meller's duck
Anas melleri
1,300-3,300 [ 24]
EN [ 24]
[ 24]
Total population estimated at 2,000-5,000 individuals.[ 24]
Hawaiian duck
Anas wyvilliana
1,500 [ 25]
EN [ 25]
[ 25]
Total population estimated at 2,200 individuals.[ 25]
Northern screamer
Chauna chavaria
1,500-7,000 [ 26]
NT [ 26]
[ 26]
Brown teal
Anas chlorotis
1,600-2,200 [ 27]
NT [ 27]
[ 27]
Total population estimated at 2,400-3,400 individuals.[ 27]
Bronze-winged duck
Speculanas specularis
1,500-7,000 [ 28]
NT [ 28]
[ 28]
Total population estimated at under 10,000 individuals, leading to estimate 2,500-9,999 (made in 2002).[ 28]
Nene
Branta sandvicensis
1,700-2,200 [ 29]
NT [ 29]
[ 29]
Salvadori's teal
Salvadorina waigiuensis
2500-20,000 [ 30]
VU [ 30]
[ 30]
Scaly-sided merganser
Mergus squamatus
2,400-4,500 [ 31]
EN [ 31]
[ 31]
Estimate is rough; further research needed.[ 31]
Blue-winged goose
Cyanochen cyanoptera
3,000-7,000 [ 32]
NT [ 32]
[ 32]
New Zealand scaup
Aythya novaeseelandiae
3,300-6,700 [ 33]
LC [ 33]
[ 33]
Philippine duck
Anas luzonica
3,300-6,700 [ 34]
VU [ 34]
[ 34]
Total population is estimated to fall between 5,000 and 10,000 from counts in 2004 and 2005.[ 34]
Chubut steamer duck
Tachyeres leucocephalus
3,400-3,700 [ 35]
VU [ 35]
[ 35]
Total population estimated at 5,300-5,600 individuals from a count in 2011.[ 35]
Maccoa duck
Oxyura maccoa
4,800-5,700 [ 36]
EN [ 36]
[ 36]
Estimate from observations in East and South Africa.[ 36]
White-headed duck
Oxyura leucocephala
5,300-8,700 [ 37]
EN [ 37]
[ 37]
Breeding pairs estimates at 500–1,200 mature individuals.[ 37]
West Indian whistling duck
Dendrocygna arborea
6,000-15,000 [ 38]
NT [ 38]
[ 38]
This estimate is conservative- actual population may be larger.[ 38]
Andean teal
Anas andium
6,000-15,000 [ 39]
LC [ 39]
[ 39]
Total population estimated 10,000-19,999 individuals.[ 39]
Spotted whistling duck
Dendrocygna guttata
6,700-17,000 [ 40]
LC [ 40]
[ 40]
Coscoroba swan
Coscoroba coscoroba
6,700-17,000
LC
Magellanic steamerduck
Tachyeres pteneres
6,700-67,000 [ 41]
LC [ 41]
[ 41]
There is little to no evidence of any declines in population, so assumed to be stable. There is no total population estimate.[ 41]
Sunda teal
Anas gibberifrons
6,700-67,000 [ 42]
NT [ 42]
[ 42]
Total population estimated at 10,000-100,000.[ 42]
Freckled duck
Stictonetta naevosa
7,300-17,000 [ 43]
LC [ 43]
[ 43]
Flying steamerduck
Tachyeres patachonicus
7,300-18,000 [ 44]
LC [ 44]
[ 44]
Global population is estimated at 11,000-26,000 individuals. Falkland Islands populations is estimate at 600–1,200 total birds.[ 44]
White-backed duck
Thalassornis leuconotus
8,000-19,000 [ 45]
LC [ 45]
[ 45]
Orinoco goose
Neochen jubata
10,000-25,000 [ 46]
NT [ 46]
[ 46]
Cape Barren goose
Cereopsis novaehollandiae
11,000-12,000 [ 47]
LC [ 47]
[ 47]
Flying steamer duck
Tachyeres patachonicus
11,000-26,000 [ 48]
LC [ 48]
[ 48]
Torrent duck
Merganetta armata
13,000-23,000 [ 49]
LC [ 49]
[ 49]
Musk duck
Biziura lobata
13,000-33,000 [ 50]
LC [ 50]
[ 50]
Cape shoveler
Spatula smithii
13,000-33,000 [ 51]
LC [ 51]
[ 51]
This estimate is only for mature individuals. A total population estimate is not given.[ 51]
Blue-billed duck
Oxyura australis
11,000-19,000c. 15,000 [ 52]
LC [ 52]
[ 52]
15,000 is the best estimate, with the full range also given.[ 52]
Lesser white-fronted goose
Anser erythropus
16,000-27,000 [ 53]
VU [ 53]
[ 53]
Masked duck
Nomonyx dominicus
16,000-200,000 [ 54]
LC [ 54]
[ 54]
These are extreme estimates due to uncertainty on population.[ 54]
Lake duck
Oxyura vittata
25,000-100,000 [ 55]
LC [ 55]
[ 55]
Ringed teal
Callonetta leucophrys
25,000-100,000 [ 56]
LC [ 56]
[ 56]
American comb duck
Sarkidiornis sylvicola
25,000-100,000 [ 57]
LC [ 57]
[ 57]
Hartlaub's duck
Pteronetta hartlaubii
26,000-110,000 [ 58]
LC [ 58]
[ 58]
Eaton's pintail
Anas eatoni
31,200-41,400 [ 59]
VU [ 59]
[ 59]
Has not been estimated since the 1980s; numbers have probably declined. Total population is estimated at 45,000-60,000.[ 59]
Andean duck
Oxyura ferruginea
35,000-110,000 [ 60]
LC [ 60]
[ 60]
Estimate includes 10,000 of andina subspecies and 25,000-100,000 of ferruginea subspecies.[ 60]
Red-breasted goose
Branta ruficollis
37,000 [ 61]
EN [ 61]
[ 61]
Minimum estimate.[ 61]
Ruddy-headed goose
Chloephaga rubidiceps
43,000-82,000 [ 62]
LC [ 62]
[ 62]
Red-breasted merganser
Mergus serrator
44,000-56,000 [ 63]
VU [ 63]
[ 63]
This estimate comes from multiple population estimates over the past two decades.[ 63]
Trumpeter swan
Cygnus buccinator
50,000 [ 64]
LC [ 64]
[ 64]
Marbled duck
Marmaronetta angustirostris
55,000-61,000 [ 65]
VU [ 65]
[ 65]
This estimate includes the following: 3,000-6,000 in Mediterranean and West Africa, 5,000 in south Asia, and 46,000-50,000 in south-western Asia.[ 65]
Muscovy duck
Cairina moschata
50,000-499,999 [ 66]
LC [ 66]
[ 66]
Swan goose
Anser cygnoides
60,000-90,000 [ 67]
VU [ 67]
[ 67]
Mandarin duck
Aix galericulata
65,000-66,000 [ 68]
LC [ 68]
[ 68]
This estimate includes the following: 100–10,000 breeding pairs in China, 100 in Taiwan, 100–10,000 in Korea, and 10,000-100,000 in Japan.[ 68]
Emperor goose
Chen canagica
> c. 85,000 [ 69]
NT [ 69]
[ 69]
Falcated duck
Mareca falcata
> 89,000 [ 70]
NT [ 70]
[ 70]
Black swan
Cygnus atratus
100,000-1,000,000 [ 71]
LC [ 71]
[ 71]
Pink-footed goose
Anser brachyrhynchus
114,000-148,000 [ 72]
LC [ 72]
[ 72]
Smew
Mergellus albellus
> 130,000 [ 73]
LC [ 73]
[ 73]
European population estimated at 18,300-35,200 mature individuals.[ 73]
Steller's eider
Polysticta stelleri
130,000-150,000 [ 74]
VU [ 74]
[ 74]
Cotton pygmy-goose
Nettapus coromandelianus
130,000-1,100,000 [ 75]
LC [ 75]
[ 75]
Velvet scoter
Melanitta fusca
141,000-268,000 [ 76]
VU [ 76]
[ 76]
Indian spot-billed duck
Anas poecilorhyncha
150,000-1,100,000 [ 77]
LC [ 77]
[ 77]
This estimate includes the Chinese Spot-billed Duck, as the count was conducted before the taxonomy change.[ 77]
Mute swan
Cygnus olor
167,000-231,000 [ 78]
LC [ 78]
[ 78]
Ruddy shelduck
Tadorna ferruginea
170,000-220,000 [ 79]
LC [ 79]
?[ 79]
European population is estimated at 33,900-53,100 mature individuals.[ 79]
Barrow's goldeneye
Bucephala islandica
175,000-200,000 [ 80]
LC [ 80]
[ 80]
European population is 1,600-1,800 mature individuals, North American population is 180,000 mature individuals, but Alaskan population is unknown.[ 80]
Whooper swan
Cygnus cygnus
> c. 180,000 [ 81]
LC [ 81]
?[ 81]
Europe has approx. 50,600-65,500 mature individuals, and Russia has 10,000-100,000 breeding pairs.[ 81]
Ferruginous duck
Aythya nyroca
180,000-240,000 [ 82]
NT [ 82]
[ 82]
Pacific black duck
Anas superciliosa
180,000-1,200,000 [ 83]
LC [ 83]
?[ 83]
This is for the total population only. The population has decreased significantly over the last fifty years.[ 83]
Harlequin duck
Histrionicus histrionicus
190,000-380,000 [ 84]
LC [ 84]
[ 84]
Russian estimate is 10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and 4,000-7,000 pairs in Europe.[ 84]
Lesser whistling duck
Dendrocygna javanica
200,000-2,000,000 [ 85]
LC [ 85]
[ 85]
Black-bellied whistling duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
200,000-2,000,000 [ 86]
LC [ 86]
[ 86]
Spectacled eider
Somateria fischeri
250,000 [ 87]
NT [ 87]
[ 87]
Surf scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
250,000-1,300,000 [ 88]
LC [ 88]
[ 88]
Tundra swan
Cygnus columbianus
317,000-336,000 [ 89]
LC [ 89]
?[ 89]
European breeding population is 10,000-12,000 mature individuals.[ 89]
Black scoter
Melanitta americana
350,000-560,000 [ 90]
NT [ 90]
[ 90]
Cinnamon teal
Spatula cyanoptera
380,000 [ 91]
LC [ 91]
[ 91]
Siberian scoter
Melanitta stenjnegeri
400,000-700,000 [ 92]
LC [ 92]
[ 92]
Common shelduck
Tadorna tadorna
415,000-500,000 [ 93]
LC [ 93]
[ 93]
Red-crested pochard
Netta rufina
420,000-600,000 [ 94]
LC [ 94]
?[ 94]
Estimate includes European population at 55,100-86,000 mature individuals.[ 94]
Brant goose
Branta bernicla
490,000 [ 95]
LC [ 95]
?[ 95]
European population is 3,000-3,600 mature individuals.[ 95]
White-winged scoter
Melanitta deglandi
600,000-1,000,000 [ 96]
LC [ 96]
[ 96]
Bean goose
Anser fabalis
680,000-800,000 [ 97]
LC [ 97]
[ 97]
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
690,000 [ 98]
LC [ 98]
[ 98]
American black duck
Anas rubripes
700,000 [ 99]
LC [ 99]
[ 99]
No global population estimate given.[ 99]
Common pochard
Aythya ferina
760,000-790,000 [ 100]
VU [ 100]
[ 100]
King eider
Somateria spectabilis
800,000-900,000 [ 101]
LC [ 101]
[ 101]
Barnacle goose
Branta leucopsis
880,000 [ 102]
LC [ 102]
[ 102]
Eastern spot-billed duck
Anas zonorhyncha
800,000-1,600,000 [ 103]
LC [ 103]
[ 103]
This is for the total population- no mature individuals estimate is given.[ 103]
Magpie goose
Anseranas semipalmata
1,000,000 [ 104]
LC [ 104]
[ 104]
Rosy-billed pochard
Netta peposaca
1,000,000 [ 105]
LC [ 105]
[ 105]
Grey teal
Anas gracilis
1,000,000-1,100,000 [ 106]
LC [ 106]
[ 106]
This is the total population estimate. Estimate for mature individuals is not given.[ 106]
Greylag goose
Anser anser
1,000,000-1,100,000 [ 107]
LC [ 107]
[ 107]
European population is 519,000-853,000 mature individuals[ 107]
Common scoter
Melanitta nigra
1,070,000 [ 108]
LC [ 108]
?[ 108]
European population estimated at 214,000-263,000 mature individuals.[ 108]
Hooded merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
1,100,000 [ 109]
LC [ 109]
[ 109]
Redhead
Aythya americana
1,200,000 [ 110]
LC [ 110]
[ 110]
Greater scaup
Aythya marila
4,900,000-5,199,999 [ 111]
LC [ 111]
[ 111]
Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
1,300,000 [ 112]
LC [ 112]
[ 112]
Fulvous whistling duck
Dendrocygna bicolor
1,300,000-1,500,000 [ 113]
LC [ 113]
[ 113]
Common eider
Somateria mollissima
1,580,000-1,910,000 [ 114]
LC [ 114]
?[ 114]
Common merganser
Mergus merganser
1,700,000-2,400,000 [ 115]
LC [ 115]
?[ 115]
European population is 134,000-206,000 mature individuals.[ 115]
White-faced whistling duck
Dendrocygna viduata
1,700,000-2,800,000 [ 116]
LC [ 116]
[ 116]
Ring-necked duck
Aythya collaris
2,000,000 [ 117]
LC [ 117]
[ 117]
Ross's goose
Anser rossii
2,100,000 [ 118]
LC [ 118]
[ 118]
Garganey
Anas querquedula
2,600,000-2,800,000 [ 119]
LC [ 119]
[ 119]
European population includes 704,000-1,050,000 mature individuals.[ 119]
Tufted duck
Aythya fuligula
2,600,000-2,900,000 [ 120]
LC [ 120]
[ 120]
American wigeon
Mareca americana
2,700,000 [ 121]
LC [ 121]
[ 121]
Common goldeneye
Bucephala clangula
2,700,000-4,700,000 [ 122]
LC [ 122]
[ 122]
Russian population is 100,000-1,000,000 breeding pairs, and European population is 977,000-1,250,000 mature individuals.[ 122]
Common teal
Anas crecca
2,800,000 [ 123]
LC [ 123]
?[ 123]
European population estimated at 1,110,000-1,830,000 mature individuals. No global estimate given.[ 123]
Eurasian wigeon
Mareca penelope
2,800,000-3,300,000 [ 124]
LC [ 124]
[ 124]
European population estimated at 9377,000-1,290,000 mature individuals.[ 124]
Greater white-fronted goose
Anser albifrons
3,100,000-3,200,000 [ 125]
LC [ 125]
?[ 125]
Long-tailed duck
Clangula hyemalis
3,200-000-3,750,000 [ 126]
VU [ 126]
[ 126]
Green-winged teal
Anas carolinensis
3,900,000 [ 127]
LC [ 127]
[ 127]
No total population given.[ 127]
Gadwall
Mareca strepera
4,300,000-4,900,000 [ 128]
LC [ 128]
[ 128]
Global population is estimated a 4,300,000-4,900,000 individuals, with the European population containing 151,000-250,000 mature individuals.[ 128]
Lesser scaup
Aythya affinis
3,700,000 [ 129]
LC [ 129]
[ 129]
Cackling goose
Branta hutchinsii
4,500,000 [ 130]
LC [ 130]
[ 130]
Wood duck
Aix sponsa
4,600,000 [ 131]
LC [ 131]
[ 131]
Northern pintail
Anas acuta
4,700,000-4,800,000 [ 132]
LC [ 132]
[ 132]
Total population is estimated at 7,100,000-7,200,000 individuals. European population includes 419,000-539,000 mature individuals.[ 132]
Canada goose
Branta canadensis
5,000,000-6,200,000 [ 133]
LC [ 133]
[ 133]
Northern shoveler
Anas clypeata
4,300,000-4,700,000 [ 134]
LC [ 134]
[ 134]
Global population is estimated at 6,500,000-7,000,000 total individuals, and the European population contains 340,000-466,000 mature individuals.[ 134]
Blue-winged teal
Spatula discors
7,800,000 [ 135]
LC [ 135]
[ 135]
There is no total population for this estimation- only one for the number of mature individuals.[ 135]
Snow goose
Answer caerulescens
16,000,000 [ 136]
LC [ 136]
[ 136]
European estimate is 2,000-4,000 mature individuals.[ 136]
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
> c. 19,000,000 [ 137]
LC [ 137]
[ 137]
European population estimated at 5,700,000-9,220,000 mature individuals.[ 137]
See also
References