General
This list should be regarded as being 'in beta'. Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Many Kazakh, Turkish, and Korean glosses are highly tentative. Comments and corrections welcome.
The general Mongolian word for 'duck' is Нугас nugas; the word for 'goose' is Галуу galuu; the word for 'swan' is Хун huŋ. (The swan is occasionally known as Цагаан галуу tsagaaŋ galuu 'white goose').
A domestic duck is known as Тэжээмэл нугас tejeemel nugas.
There are a number of other, more specific terms. The following list is based on the old naming system, plus some names found in ordinary dictionaries (including dictionaries from Inner Mongolia):
- The Mandarin Duck is known as Уран хажин uraŋ khajiŋ.
- The name Ангир aŋgir, which refers to a yellowish colour, is applied variously to the Mandarin Duck, the Ruddy Shelduck, and the White-winged Scoter. The names Лам нугас lam nugas 'lama duck' and Лам шувуу lam shuvuu 'lama bird' are similarly applied to the Ruddy Shelduck and the Mandarin Duck.
- The Shelduck is known as Анхидал aŋkh'dal or Анхидал нугас aŋkh'dal nugas. Dictionaries in Inner Mongolia give the term Халтар нугас khaltar nugas meaning 'spotty-darkbrown duck'.
- The pochards are known as Шумбуур shumbuur, from the verb шумбах shumbakh meaning 'to dive'. In Inner Mongolian dictionaries, they are called Шунгал нугас shuŋgal nugas 'diving ducks'. The name Шунгадаг нугас shungadag nugas is also found, from the verb шунгах shuŋgakh 'to dive'.
- Teals are known as Голын нугас golin nugas 'river duck', шүрэг нугас shüreg nugas, шүрхий нугас shürkhii nugas, or шүрхий shürkhii.
- The Goldeneye is named Шунгаач shuŋgaach 'diver', also from the verb шунгах shuŋgakh 'to dive'.
- Бохио нугас bokhio nugas 'dirty duck' is used for the sea ducks (mergansers).
- Биваан нугас bivaaŋ nugas is another name for a kind of duck, but the referent is not totally clear.
Buryat: The Buryat word for duck is Нугаhан nugahan; that for goose is Гахуун gakhuun; that for swan is Хун khun or Хун шубуун khun shubuun 'swan bird'. Teals are known as шүрхы shurkhi and pochards as шунгадаг shungadag or шунгадаг нугаһан shungadag nygahan, again from шунгаха shungakha 'to dive'.
Regularised names:
The names of the Anatidae have been reworked considerably to satisfy the strict terminological requirement that each genus should have a unique name.
| Genus | Old | New |
| Dendrocygna (Whistling Ducks) | - | Анхир aŋkhir |
| Anser (Geese) | Галуу galuu |
Галуу galuu |
| Cygnus (Swans) | Хун khuŋ |
Хун khuŋ |
| Tadorna (Shelducks) | Ангир aŋgir; Анхидал aŋkh'dal |
Ангир aŋgir |
| Aix (Mandarin Duck) | Ангир aŋgir |
Уранхажин uraŋkhajiŋ |
| Anas (Ducks) | Нугас nugas |
Нугас nugas |
| Netta (Pochard) | Шумбуур shumbuur |
Биваан bivaaŋ |
| Aythya (Pochards) | Шумбуур shumbuur |
Шумбуур shumbuur |
| Histrionicus (Harlequin Duck) | Нугас nugas |
Чөрх chörkh |
| Melanitta (Scoter) | Нугас nugas |
Монхдой moŋkhdoi |
| Clangula (Oldsquaw) | - | Шунгаахай shuŋgaakhai |
| Bucephala (Goldeneye) | Шунгаач shuŋgaach |
Шунгаач shuŋgaach |
| Mergus (Mergansers) (includes Mergellus) | Нугас nugas |
Бохио bokhio |
| Oxyura (White-Headed Duck) | Ямаан сүүлт yamaaŋ süült |
Ямаансүүлт yamaaŋsüült |
With Нугас nugas now confined to the genus Anas, new names have had to be found for several genera.
- Histrionicus is named Чөрх chörkh, which would normally mean 'cow's nose ring'.
- Melanitta is named Монхдой moŋkhdoi.
- Mergus is named Бохио bokhio, meaning 'dirty', from the name Бохио нугас bokhio nugas 'dirty duck'. Since Mergellus is not treated as a separate genus from Mergus in the Mongolian list, it is also named Бохио bokhio.
- Netta is renamed Биваан bivaaŋ (from Биваан нугас bivaaŋ nugas, meaning unclear) to set it apart from the Шумбуур shumbuur (the Aythya pochards).
- The genus Tadorna lays sole claim to the name Ангир aŋgir. Aix is given the traditional name Уранхажин uraŋkhajiŋ.
Finally, there are two genera not in the old list:
- Dendrocygna is given the name Анхир aŋkhir, which is nothing more than a variation on Ангир aŋgir (= shelducks, etc.).
- Clangula is given the name Шунгаахай shuŋgaakhai, another name derived from the verb шунгах shuŋgakh 'to dive'.
Species names
ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see)
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Floating Menu by Milonic |
Tool tips by Walter Zorn |
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