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WATERFOWL

Order Anseriformes    Family Anatidae

The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds All species in the order are web-footed for efficient swimming and have a large wide bill with a specialized tongue that allows water to be sucked in the front of the bill. An array of plates traps food particles as the water is expelled out the sides of the bill. Not all species feed this way, some graze on plants and some also catch fish.

Anseriformes has 3 familes, but almost all of the species belong to Anatidae.
Family Anatidae: dabbling ducks, teals, diving ducks, sea duck, shelducks, geese.
Family Anatidae: stiff-tailed ducks, swans, whistling ducks,
Family Anhimidae: screamers
Family Anseranatidae: magpie goose

Other species resemble the waterfowl of Anseriformes.
Order Gaviiformes, Family Gaviidae: loons
Order Gruiformes, Family Rallidae: coots, moorhens, crakes, rails
Order Podicipediformes, Family Podicipedidae: grebes


Stiff-Tailed Ducks


The stiff-tailed ducks have stiff tail feathers, which are erected when the bird is at rest. All have relatively large swollen bills. These are freshwater diving ducks. Their legs are set far back, making them awkward on land, so they rarely leave the water. Their unusual displays involve drumming noises from inflatable throat-sacs, head throwing, and erecting short crests. Plumage sequences are complicated, and aging difficult. [abstracted from Wikipedia]


Genus Biziura - 1 species

Duck,_Musk  Biziura lobata  Found: Australia
The Musk Duck is dark brown, with paler cheeks. The male has  a leatherly like appendage underneath the bill. They are dense birds, riding low in the water.
Image by: 1) Kazredracer  2, 5) David_Jenkins   3) JJ Harrison  4, 6) Leo
1) Female with chick  2, 3) Female  4 - 6) Male




Genus Heteronetta - 1 species

Duck,_Black-headed  Heteronetta atricapilla  Found: Argentina, Chile, Paraguay
The male Black-headed Duck has a black head, mantle. Female is has brown plumage. The Black-headed Duck is the ancestor of the Oxyura stiff-tailed ducks even though it lacks a stiff tail or large swollen bill.
Image by: 1) Claudio Timm  2) Walter Baliero  3) Pato_Cabeza_Negra- Argentina  4) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Hugo_Hulsberg in Argentina  5) Video by Avibirds.   More vidoes





Genus Malacorhynchus - 1 species

Duck,_Pink-eared Malacorhynchus membranaceus  Found: Australia
The Pink-eared Duck has a brown back, black and white barred sides, light colored head with black ear patches, large shovelor-like bill. Pink ear the eye is difficult to distinguish.
Image by: 1) David Jenkins  2) Jason Girvan  3) Oystercatcher  4) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights   5) Laurie_Boyle  6) Geoff_Whalan




Genus Nomonyx - 1 species

Duck,_Masked     Nomonyx dominicus   Found: south North America to south South America
The breeding male Masked Duck has a rust colored body with a mottled back. The dark face and neck contrasts with the light bill. It has an eye-ring. Female has brownish-gray boddy, light face with 2 dark horizontal stripes.
Similar to: female Ruddy Duck.  Female Ruddy Duck has 1 horizontal stripe on side of its head, female Masked Duck has 2.
Image by: 1) Nick Athanas - Brazil  2) Richard Crook - Florida 3) Jamie Drake - Florida 4) Fbiole
1) Pair  2, 3) Female  4) Male



Genus Oxyura
The stiff-tail ducks have a stiff tail which is erect at rest; large swollen bill; legs set far back so they walk awkwardly and rarely leave the water.

Duck,_Lake also Argentine Blue-bill   Oxyura vittata  Found: South America
The male Lake Duck has a blue bill, black head and tail, chestnut body. Female is brownish-gray, dark cap on head, stripe across face.
Image by: 1, 6) Nick Athanas  2) Georg Schwalbach  3, 4) Dick Daniels Sylvan Heights   5) Sandy Cole - Sylvan Heights
1, 2) Female  3 - 6) Male



Duck,_Blue-billed Oxyura australis   Found: Australia
The male Blue-billed Duck has a blue bill, black head and neck, dark brown tail, chestnut back and underparts, brown eyes, gray legs. Female is brownish-gray, bluish-gray bill..
Image by: 1) Oystercatcher 2) Dick - Sylvan Heights  3) David_Jenkins   4) Jean_and_Fred
1) Female   2 - 4) Male


Duck,_Maccoa  Oxyura maccoa  Found: Africa
The male Maccoa has a chestnut body, black head, blue bill. Female has gray-brown body, dark brown crown; dark gray bill, crown, nape, and cheek stripe.
Image by: 1) Sergey_Yeliseev  Dick Daniels - San Diego Zoo  2) Sandy Cole - San Diego Zoo  3) Monkey_Boy - South Africa
1) Female 2, 3, 4) Male


Duck,_Ruddy Oxyura jamaicensis Found: The Americas, Europe
Male Ruddy Duck has rust-red body, blue bill, white face, black cap and nape. Female has gray-brown body, gray face; darker cape cheek stripe, bill.
Similar to: female Masked Duck.  Female Ruddy Duck has 1 horizontal stripe on side of its head, female Masked Duck has 2.
Image by: 1) Dick - Monterey, California    2, 5, 6, 7, 8) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights    3) Dick - Sunset Beach, North Carolina  4) Sandy Cole - Sylvan Heights 
1, 2, 3) Female  4 -8) Male


Duck,_White-headed  Oxyura leucocephala  Found: southern Eurasia, northern Africa
The White-headed Duck has a white face and dark cap. The breeding male has a chestnut body, dark blue bill swollen at the base. Female has cheek stripe, less swollen bill.
Image by: 1) Duncan Wright  2, 3, 4, 5, 6,  7) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights    8) Andy_Li
1, 2, 3) Female  4 - 8) Male





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