BIRDS of THE WORLD - An Online Bird Book
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
Swans
The true swans belong to genus
Cygnus. They are the largest waterfowl. Geese are their closest relatives. The sexes are alike in appearance, but the males are larger. Quite unsual for birds, swans
have "teeth" - jagged parts of their bill that are used for catching and eating fish. In spite of this they are mainly plant eaters. The Coscoroba Swan is not a true swan.
Genus Coscoroba - 1 species
Swan, Coscoroba Coscoroba coscoroba Found: South America
Image by:
1, 2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels -
Sylvan Heights 5)
Dick - San Diego Zoo 6)
Nick Athanas - Chile
Genus Cygnus
Swan, Black Cygnus atratus Native to Australia. Also found: New Zealand, North America. (introduced), Europe (introduced)
Image by: 1)
Oystercatcher 2)
Dick -
Sylvan
Heights 3)
Dick Daniels - Pine Grove Waterfowl Park, Virginia 4)
Dick - Flamingo Wildlife Preserve, Nevada 5)
Dick - Australia 6)
Dick -
Birds of Eden, South Africa 7)
Sandy -
Sylvan
Heights 8) Video by
Avibirds.
More vidoes
Swan, Black-necked Cygnus melancoryphus Found: South America
Image by:
1, 2) Sandy Cole -
Sylvan Heights 3, 4) Dick Daniels -
Sylvan Heights 5)
Dick Daniels -
Sylvan Heights
Swam, Mute Cygnus olor Found: North America (introduced) Europe, Asia, Africa
Image by:
1, 3) Dick - Scotland
2) Charlie Westerinen - Germany
6, 7. 8) Dick - New Jersey
9, 10) Dick - the Carolinas 11)
Dick -
Flamingo Gardens - Flroida 12)
Sandy Cole -
Birds of Eden, South Afr
ica
13) Video by
Avibirds.
More vidoes
Swan, Trumpeter Cygnus buccinator Found: North America
Image by:
1, 2, 6) Dick Daniels - Wyoming
3, 7) Dick - Anchorage Zoo, Alaska 4)
Dick -
Sylvan Heights
5)
Dick - Wyoming 8)
Dick - Pine Grove Water Fowl Park, Virginia
1) Juvenile
Swan, Tundra
Tunda Swans are sometimes split into two separate species:
Bewick's Swans of Europe, Asia and
Whistling Swans of North America. Since their heads coloration is decidedly different,
the two species approach is followed here.
Swan, Bewick's Cygnus columbianus bewickii also
Cygnus bewickii Found: Europe, Asia
Image by: 1)
Sandy Cole -
Sylvan Heights 2, 3, 4) Dick Daniels -
Sylvan Heights 5)
Dick -
Sylvan Heights 6)
Dick - Pine Grove Waterfowl Park, Virginia
Swan, Whistling Cygnus columbianus columbianus Found: North America
Image by:
1, 2) Dick Daniels - Pine Grove Waterfowl Park, Virginia
3, 4, 5) Dick - North Carolina
6)
Alan D. Wilson - Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Swan,_Whooper Cygnus cygnus Found: North America, Europe, Asia, Africa
Image by: 1) Margrit 2, 3) Alan_Shearman 4, 5, 6) Dick Daniels - Jacksonville Zoo in Florida 7) Video by Avibirds. More vidoes