List of Anseriformes by population

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:

• Réunion shelduck, the last of which had been hunted by 1710;^[4]
• Mauritian shelduck, which was plentiful in 1681 and extinct in 1698;^[5]
• Amsterdam duck, reported to be the favourite dish of Île Amsterdam's five resident sealers until 1793;^[6][7]
• Mauritian duck, which was found in "great numbers" in 1681 and last reported in 1696;^[8]
• Mariana mallard, a pair of which would not breed at SeaWorld and which has not been encountered since the death of the last individual there in 1981;^[9]
• Finsch's duck, once the most abundant waterfowl species in New Zealand;^[10]
• Labrador duck, which has not been seen in northeast North America since 1875;^[11]
• Auckland merganser, which was last recorded in 1902.^[12]

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	Anser 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

• Biology portal
• Birds portal

• Lists of birds by population
• Lists of organisms by population
• List of duck breeds