Harteman Wildfowl Aviaries
Waterfowl data scheme
The table below provides a schematic overview of some basic information that can be practically used when keeping and breeding waterfowl in aviculture. The data was compiled by private breeders Roelof Jan Breman and Jan Harteman in the early 2000's. Breman drew on personal experiences and notes from other breeders. Jan Harteman added data from literature. This information has been updated over the years. If you discover any mistakes, please do not hesitate to contact us so we can correct the information.
All species (and some subspecies) in this table are sorted alphabetically by their scientific names.
More comprehensive descriptions of waterfowl species can be found here (more will be added in the future).
Scientific name | Common name | Ringsize (mm) | Incubation time (days) | Brief nest site description | Color eggs | Clutch size | Sexual mature | Ringing age |
Aix galericulata | Mandarin duck | 9 | 31 | tree cavity | cream/ white | 9 to 15 | 1st year | day 11 |
Aix sponsa | North American wood duck | 9 | 28 - 32 | tree cavity
| cream white | 9 to 15 | 1st year | day 15 |
Alopochen aegyptiacus | Egyptian goose | 15 | 30 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | dull white | 5 to 11 | 3rd year | day 20 |
Amazonetta brasiliensis | Brazilian teal | 9 | 25 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream | 6 to 8 | 1st year | day 15 |
Anas (crecca) carolinensis | Common teal (Green-winged) | 7 | 30 - 33 | dense vegetation | buff | 8 to 11 | 1st year | day 10 |
Anas (crecca) crecca | Common teal (Eurasian) | 7 | 21 - 23 | dense vegetation | cream brown | 8 to 11 | 1st year | day 10 |
Anas acuta | Northern pintail | 10 | 22 - 23 | dense vegetation | yellow white | 9 to 11 | 1st year | day 13 |
Anas bahamensis | Bahama (white-cheeked) pintail | 9 | 25 - 26 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | clay brown | 6 to 16 | 1st year | day 15 |
Anas capensis | Cape teal | 9 | 25 - 27 | dense vegetation | l. yellow brown | 6 to 11 | 1st year | day 15 |
Anas castanea | Chestnut teal | 10 | 28 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream | 8 to 12 | 2nd year | day 14 |
Anas erythrorhyncha | Red-billed pintail | 9 | 25 - 27 | dense vegetation | l. green white | 6 to 12 | 1st year | day 14 |
Anas flavirostris flavirostris | Yellow-billed teal (Chilean) | 8 | 26 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream | 5 to 8 | 1st year | day 12 |
Anas flavirostris oxyptera | Yellow-billed teal (sharp-winged) | 9 | 25 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | buff cream | 5 to 8 | 1st year | day 12 |
Anas georgica | 9 | 25 - 26 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream | 5 to 8 | 1st year | day 15 | |
Anas gibberifrons | East Indian grey teal (Sunda teal) | 9 | 30 - 33 | dense vegetation/burrow | cream | 7 to 9 | 1st year | day 16 |
Anas laysanensis | Laysan teal | 9 | 26 | dense vegetation | l. green | 4 to 8 | 1st year | day 15 |
Anas luzonica | Philippine duck | 11 | 27 | dense vegetation | light green | 8 to 14 | 1st year | day 15 |
Anas platyrhynchos | Mallard | 12 | 24 - 28 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | l. green | 8 to 13 | 1st year | day 15 |
Anas poecilorhyncha | East Indian spot-billed duck | 12 | 26 - 28 | dense vegetation near water | grey/ gr. white | 6 to 14 | 1st year | day 14 |
Anas rubripes | American black duck | 12 | 26 - 28 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | l. green | 7 to 12 | 1st year | day 14 |
Anas sparsa | African black duck | 12 | 27 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream | 4 to 9 | 2nd year | day 20 |
Anas strepera | Gadwall | 10 | 25 - 26 | dense vegetation | cream yellow | 5 to 15 | 1st year | day 16 |
Anas superciliosa | Pacific black duck | 12 | 26 - 28 | dense vegetation/tree cavity | l. green white | 8 to 13 | 1st year | day 16 |
Anas undulata | Yellow-billed duck | 11 | 27 - 29 | dense vegetation | cream buff | 4 to 10 | 1st year | day 17 |
Anas wyvilliana | Hawaiian duck | 10 | 27 | dense vegetation | grey white | 6 to 13 | 1st year | day 15 |
Anas zonorhyncha | Chinese spot-billed duck | 12 | 26 - 28 | dense vegetation near water | grey/ gr. white | 6 to 14 | 1st year | day 14 |
Anser albifrons | Greater white-fronted goose | 15 | 26 - 28 | sparse vegetation | yellow white | 4 to 6 | 3rd year | day 16 |
Anser anser | Greylag goose | 18 | 28 - 29 | sparse vegetation near water | dull white | 4 to 8 | 3rd year | day 15 |
Anser brachyrhynchus | Pink-footed goose | 16 | 25 - 28 | sparse vegetation/open landscape | yellow white | 4 to 6 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Anser caerulescens atlantica | Snow goose (Greater) | 18 | 23 | sparse vegetation/ open landscape | white | 4 to 5 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Anser caerulescens caerulescens | Snow goose (Lesser) | 16 | 23 | sparse vegetation/ open landscape | white | 4 to 6 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Anser canagicus | Emperor goose | 16 | 25 | sparse vegetation | dull white | 3 to 6 | 3rd year | day 14 |
Anser cygnoides | Swangoose | 18 | 28 - 30 | dense vegetation/ dry soil | cream | 5 to 8 | 3rd year | day 22 |
Anser erythropus | Lesser white-fronted goose | 14 | 25 - 28 | sparse vegetation | white | 4 to 6 | 3rd year | day 10 |
Anser fabalis | Taiga Bean goose | 18 | 27 - 29 | sparse vegetation | pale yellow | 3 to 6 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Anser indicus | Bar-headed goose | 16 | 27 - 30 | sparse vegetation/ open landscape | cream white | 4 to 9 | 3rd year | day 15 |
Anser rossii | Ross's goose | 14 | 24 | sparse vegetation | cream white | 4 to 5 | 3rd year | day 11 |
Anser serrirostris | Tundra Bean goose | 18 | 27 - 29 | sparse vegetation | pale yellow | 3 to 6 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Anseranas semipalmata | 16 | 35 | sparse vegetation/ near water | white | 5 to 16 | 3rd year | day 21 | |
Aythya affinis | Lesser scaup | 10 | 22 - 27 | dense vegetation | brown/ buff | 8 to 10 | 1st year | day 13 |
Aythya americana | Redhead | 11 | 24 - 28 | dense vegetation near water | l. green/ buff | 7 to 15 | 2nd year | day 19 |
Aythya australis | Australian white-eyed pochard (Hardhead) | 11 | 25 - 27 | dense vegetation | cream yellow | 5 to 15 | 1st year | day 16 |
Aythya baeri | 11 | 26 - 28 | dense vegetation | l. yellow grey | 6 to 10 | 1st year | day 15 | |
Aythya collaris | Ring-necked duck | 10 | 26 - 27 | dense vegetation near water | olive/ cream | 5 to 14 | 4th year | day 18 |
Aythya ferina | Common pochard | 11 | 24 - 26 | dense vegetation near water | olive | 6 to 10 | 1st year | day 13 |
Aythya fuligula | Tufted duck | 10 | 25 | dense vegetation near water | olive | 6 to 14 | 4th year | day 18 |
Aythya marila | Greater scaup | 11 | 24 - 28 | dense vegetation | green/ buff | 8 to 11 | 1st year | day 11 |
Aythya noveaseelandica | New Zealand scaup | 10 | 29 - 31 | dense vegetation | buff | 2 to 15 | 1st year | day 17 |
Aythya nyroca | Ferruginous pochard | 9 | 26 | dense vegetation | cream | 7 to 11 | 1st year | day 15 |
Aythya valisineria | Canvasback | 12 | 25 - 26 | dense vegetation near water | olive | 8 to 10 | 2nd year | day 19 |
Branta bernicla bernicla | Brent goose (Russian; dark-bellied) | 18 | 25 | sparse vegetation | light/ olive | 3 to 5 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Branta bernicla hrote | Brent goose (Atlantic; white-bellied) | 13 | 25 | sparse vegetation | white | 3 to 5 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Branta bernicla nigricans | Brent goose (Pacific; black) | 12 | 24 - 26 | sparse vegetation | white | 3 to 5 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Branta canadensis canadensis | Canada goose (Atlantic) | 20 | 29 | sparse vegetation | cream white | 3 to 9 | 3rd year | day 14 |
Branta canadensis occidentalis | Canada goose (Dusky) | 18 | 28 - 30 | sparse vegetation | white | 3 to 9 | 3rd year | day 15 |
Branta hutchinsii leucopareia | Canada goose (Aleutian) | 14 | 25 - 26 | sparse vegetation | cream white | 3 to 9 | 3rd year | day 14 |
Branta hutchinsii minima | Canada goose (Cackling) | 14 | 24 - 25 | sparse vegetation | cream white | 3 to 9 | 3rd year | day 14 |
Branta leucopsis | Barnacle goose | 15 | 24 - 25 | sparse vegetation | grey white | 5 to 6 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Branta ruficollis | Red-breasted goose | 12 | 24 - 26 | sparse vegetation/ open landscape | light green | 3 to 7 | 3rd year | day 12 |
Branta sandvicensis | Hawaiian goose (Ne-ne) | 15 | 29 | sparse vegetation | cream white | 3 to 6 | 2nd year | day 21 |
Bucepahal clangula | Common goldeneye | 10 | 30 | tree cavity | green/ blauw | 8 to 10 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Bucephala albeola | Bufflehead | 8 | 29 - 31 | tree cavity | l. green/ buff | 6 to 11 | 2nd year | day 14 |
Bucephala islandica | Barrow's goldeneye | 11 | 30 | tree cavity | green/ blue | 8 to 10 | 3rd year | day 14 |
Cairina moschata | Muscovy duck (wild type) | 16 | 35 | tree cavity | cream white | 5 to 8 | 4th year | day 18 |
Callonetta leucophrys | Ringed teal | 7 | 24 - 28 | tree cavity | white | 6 to 12 | 1st year | day 10 |
Cereopsis novaehollandiae | Cereopsis (Cape-barrend) goose | 20 | 30 - 40 | sparse vegetation | white | 4 to 5 | 3rd year | day 19 |
Chenonetta jubata | Maned duck (Maned goose) | 11 | 28 - 30 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream/ white | 8 to 15 | 1st year | day 36 |
Chloephaga melanoptera | Andean goose | 16 | 30 | sparse vegetation | cream | 6 to 9 | 3rd year | day 23 |
Chloephaga picta | Magellanic (upland) goose | 18 | 30 - 32 | dense vegetation | cream brown | 5 to 8 | 3rd year | day 17 |
Chloephaga poliocephala | Ashy-headed goose | 15 | 30 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | buff | 4 to 6 | 3rd year | day 20 |
Chloephaga rubidiceps | Ruddy-headed goose | 14 | 30 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream brown | 3 to 8 | 3rd year | day 20 |
Clangula hyemalis | Long-tailed duck | 9 | 24 - 26 | sparse vegetation | yellow white/ grey | 6 to 9 | 2nd year | day 10 |
Coscoroba coscoroba | Coscoroba | 20 | 34 - 36 | open landscape near water | dull white | 3 to 9 | 3rd year | day 35 |
Cyanochen cyanopterus | 14 | 30 - 34 | sparse vegetation | cream | 4 to 8 | 3rd year | day 19 | |
Cygnus atratus | Black swan | 20 | 35 - 38 | open landscape near water | light green | 4 to 8 | 3rd year | day 32 |
Cygnus buccinator | Trumpeter swan | 24 | 33 - 35 | open landscape near water | white | 4 to 9 | 3rd year | day 25 |
Cygnus columbianus bewickii | Tundra swan (Bewick's) | 20 | 29 - 32 | open landscape near water | cream | 4 to 6 | 3rd year | day 15 |
Cygnus columbianus columbianus | Tundra swan (whistlingi) | 22 | 36 | open landscape near water | white | 2 to 6 | 3rd year | day 18 |
Cygnus cygnus | Whooper swan | 24 | 35 | open landscape near water | cream/ white | 4 to 9 | 3rd year | day 20 |
Cygnus melancoryphus | Black-necked swan | 18 | 34 - 36 | open landscape near water | cream yellow | 4 to 6 | 2nd year | day 24 |
Cygnus olor | Mute swan | 24 | 35 - 37 | open landscape near water | grey/ green | 2 to 6 | 3rd year | day 34 |
Dendrocygna arborea | West Indian whistling duck | 13 | 30 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream white | 8 to 12 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Dendrocygna arcuata | Wandering whistling duck | 11 | 28 - 30 | sparse vegetation near water | white | 6 to 15 | 2nd year | day 16 |
Dendrocygna autumnalis | Black-bellied (red-billed) whistling duck | 12 | 27 - 28 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | white | 12 to 16 | 2nd year | day 16 |
Dendrocygna bicolor | Fulvous whistling duck | 12 | 26 - 28 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream | 9 to 15 | 2nd year | day 16 |
Dendrocygna eytoni | Plumed (Eyton) whistling duck | 12 | 28 - 30 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | white | 10 to 13 | 2nd year | day 16 |
Dendrocygna guttata | Spotted whistling duck | 12 | 28 - 31 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | yellow white | 10 to 13 | 2nd year | day 13 |
Dendrocygna javanica | Lesser (Javan) whistling duck | 11 | 27 - 28 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | white | 8 a 12 | 2nd year | day 13 |
Dendrocygna viduata | White-faced whistling duck | 11 | 28 | dense vegetation/tree cavity | cream white | 4 to 16 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Heteronetta atricapilla | Black-headed duck | 9 | 24 - 25 | dense vegetation near water | light green | 5 to 16 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Histrionicus histrionicus | Harlequin duck | 9 | 28 - 29 | sparse vegetation | cream/ buff | 4 to 8 | 2nd year | day 17 |
| Lophodytes cucullatus | Hooded merganser | 9 | 30 - 22 | tree cavity | white | 8 to 15 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Lophonetta specularoides | Crested duck (Patagonian) | 12 | 30 | dense vegetation near water | cream white | 5 to 9 | 1st year | day 23 |
Malacorhynchus membranaceus | 13 | 25 - 26 | burrow/ tree cavity
| cream white | 5 to 8 | 4th year | day 18 | |
Mareca americana | American wigeon | 10 | 24 - 25 | dense vegetation | cream white | 6 to 12 | 1st year | day 14 |
Mareca falcata | Falcated duck | 10 | 24 - 26 | dense vegetation | cream/ yellow | 5 to 9 | 1st year | day 15 |
Mareca penelope | Eurasian wigeon | 10 | 24 - 25 | dense vegetation | cream yellow | 6 to 16 | 1st year | day 12 |
Mareca sibilatrix | Chiloé wigeon | 10 | 24 - 25 | dense vegetation | cream | 5 to 8 | 1st year | day 13 |
Marmaronetta angustirostris | Marbled teal | 8 | 25 - 27 | dense vegetation | cream | 10 to 12 | 1st year | day 16 |
Melanitta fusca | Velvet (white-winged) scoter | 13 | 26 - 29 | dense vegetation | cream/ buff | 5 to 17 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Melanitta nigra | Common scoter | 11 | 27 - 28 | dense vegetation | cream/ buff | 6 to 11 | 2nd year | day 13 |
Melanitta perspicillata | Surf scoter | 10 | 27 - 28 | dense vegetation | cream/ buff | 5 to 9 | 2nd year | day 13 |
Mergellus albellus | Smew | 9 | 28 - 30 | tree cavity | white/ cream | 6 to 10 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Mergus merganser | Common merganser (Goosander) | 13 | 32 - 35 | tree cavity | cream/ buff | 8 to 15 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Mergus serrator | Red-breasted merganser | 11 | 26 - 32 | tree cavity | l. green/ buff | 4 to 14 | 2nd year | day 16 |
Neochen jubatus | Orinoco goose | 14 | 30 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity
| cream white | 5 to 15 | 3rd year | day 22 |
Netta erythrophthalma | Southern pochard | 11 | 26 | dense vegetation | cream white | 5 to 15 | 2nd year | day 16 |
Netta peposaca | Rosy-billed duck | 11 | 27 - 29 | dense vegetation near water | olive/ cream | 8 to 12 | 2nd year | day 19 |
Netta rufina | Red-crested pochard | 11 | 26 - 28 | dense vegetation near water | l. green | 8 to 10 | 4th year | day 18 |
Nettapus auritus | African pygmy goose | 7 | 23 - 24 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity
| cream white | 5 to 9 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Nettapus coromandelianus | Cotton pygmy goose (Indian) | 7 | 21 - 24 | tree cavity | cream white | 6 to 9 | 2nd year | day 14 |
Nettapus pulchellus | Green pygmy goose (Australian) | 7 | 23 - 24 | tree cavity | cream white | 8 to 10 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Oxyura australis | Australian blue-billed duck | 10 | 26 - 28 | dense vegetation near water | light green | 4 to 13 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Oxyura jamaicensis | North American ruddy duck | 10 | 23 - 26 | dense vegetation near water | white | 6 to 10 | 2nd year | day 16 |
Oxyura leucocephala | White-headed duck | 10 | 25 | dense vegetation near water | white | 5 to10 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Oxyura maccoa | Maccoa duck (African ruddy duck) | 10 | dense vegetation near water | white | 5 to 10 | 2nd year | ||
Oxyura vittata | Argentine blue-billed duck (Lake duck) | 10 | 23 - 24 | dense vegetation near water | cream white | 3 to 8 | 2nd year | day 16 |
Plectropterus gambensis | Spur-winged goose | 20 | 30 | dense vegetation | white | 6 to 14 | 3rd year | day 30 |
Polysticta stelleri | Steller's eider | 10 | 24 - 25 | sparse vegetation | green/ buff | 7 to 9 | 2nd year | day 13 |
Pteronetta hartlaubi | 12 | 32 | dense vegetation | cream | 7 to 12 | 2nd year | day 25 | |
Radjah radjah | Radjah shelduck | 12 | 30 | burrow/ tree cavity
| cream white | 6 to 10 | 3rd year | day 13 |
Sarkidiornis melanotos | Knob-billed duck (African comb duck) | 13 | 25 - 26 | burrow/ tree cavity
| cream white | 5 to 8 | 4th year | day 18 |
Sarkidiornis sylvicola | Comb duck (American comb duck) | 13 | 25 - 26 | burrow/ tree cavity
| cream white | 5 to 8 | 4th year | day 18 |
Sibrionetta formosa | Baikal teal | 8 | 24 - 28 | dense vegetation/ burrow | l. grey green | 6 to 9 | 1st year | day 14 |
Somateria fischeri | Spectacled eider | 12 | 24 | sparse vegetation | olive | 3 to 5 | 2nd year | day 13 |
Somateria mollissima | Common eider | 13 | 25 - 26 | sparse vegetation | gr. green | 3 to 6 | 2nd year | day 18 |
Somateria spectabilis | King eider | 12 | 22 - 24 | sparse vegetation | green/ buff | 4 to 5 | 2nd year | day 14 |
Spatula clypeata | Northern shoveler | 10 | 22 - 25 | sparse vegetation | cream | 9 to 11 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Spatula cyanoptera | Cinnamon teal | 8 | 25 | dense vegetation | cream | 9 to 12 | 1st year | day 12 |
Spatula discors | Blue-winged teal | 8 | 24 - 25 | dense vegetation/ near water | clayyellow | 8 to 13 | 1st year | day 11 |
Spatula hottentota | Blue-billed teal (Hottentot) | 7 | 24 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | cream | 6 to 10 | 1st year | day 12 |
Spatula platalea | Red (Argentine) shoveler | 9 | 25 | dense vegetation | cream | 5 to 9 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Spatula puna | Puna teal | 8 | 24 | dense vegetation | yellow white | 6 to 6 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Spatula querquedula | Gargeney | 7 | 30 - 33 | dense vegetation | cream yellow | 8 to 11 | 1st year | day 10 |
Spatula rhynchotis | Australian shoveler | 10 | 24 | sparse vegetation | l. green/ buff | 9 to 11 | 2nd year | day 17 |
Spatula smithii | Cape shoveler | 9 | 27 - 28 | dense vegetation | cream | 5 to 15 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Spatula versicolor | Versicolor (Silver) teal | 9 | 24 - 26 | dense vegetation | clay yellow | 7 to 10 | 1st year | day 15 |
Speculanas specularis | Bronze-winged (spectacled) duck | 12 | 30 - 31 | dense vegetation | d. cream | 4 to 5 | 2nd year | day 25 |
Tadorna cana | Cape shelduck | 14 | 30 | burrow | yellow white | 8 to 15 | 2nd year | day 18 |
Tadorna ferruginea | Ruddy shelduck | 13 | 28 - 30 | burrow/ tree cavity
| white | 8 to 15 | 2nd year | day 15 |
Tadorna tadorna | Common shelduck | 12 | 28 - 30 | burrow/ tree cavity
| cream white | 8 to 10 | 2nd year | day 14 |
Tadorna tadornoides | Australian shelduck | 14 | 30 - 33 | burrow/ tree cavity
| cream white | 5 to 8 | 4th year | day 18 |
Tadorna variegata | Paradise shelduck | 14 | 30 | burrow/ tree cavity
| cream | 5 to 15 | 3rd year | day 14 |
Thalassornis leuconotus | White-backed duck | 10 | 24 - 26 | dense vegetation/ tree cavity | brown/ buff | 4 to 8 | 2nd year | day 27 |
