Waterbirds that are NOT Ducks . . .Loons

Family Gaviidae

Common Loon, breeding Red-throated Loon, winter

More non-ducks . . . GrebesFamily Podicipedidae

Horned Grebe

Red-necked Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe

More Non-ducks . . .

Double-crested Cormorant

Common Coot

Even more non-ducks

Common Moorhen/Gallinule

Red Phalarope

Classification of WaterfowlFamily Anatidae (ducks, geese, & swans)

• Subfamily Anserinae

– Whistling or Tree Ducks

– Swans & True Geese• Subfamily Anatinae

– Dabbling or surface-feeding ducks (e.g., Mallard)

– Pochards (e.g., Canvasback)

– Sea Ducks

– Stiff-tailed Ducks

Swans

Mute Swan

Tundra/Whistling Swan

Geese

Canada Goose

Brant

Snow/Blue Goose

Puddle Ducks

•habitat is fresh, shallow water

•feed by dabbling or ‘tipping up’

•very rarely dive

•explode into flight off the water

•only ones to be seen in cropland

Mallard

American Black Duck

Note silver underwing-lining in flight

Common Pintail

Gadwall

•‘gray mallard’•black rump•often a white patch towards rear

Wigeon

American Wigeon

European Wigeon

Shoveler

Blue-winged Teal

Green-winged Teal

Wood Duck

Diving Ducks

•frequent larger, deeper lakes

•use large feet as rudders and landing gears

•frequently dive to great depths

•usually run across surface to take off

Canvasback

Note bill profile

Redhead

Mixed flock

Ringneck

Note white shoulder patch

Scaup DucksGreater Scaup

• rounder head

• greenish gloss

• white in wing extends nearly to tip

• females nearly identical

Lesser Scaup

• peaked head

• purplish gloss

• white in wing extends halfway to tip

Goldeneye

Bufflehead

Ruddy Duck

Common Merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Hooded Merganser

Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

Eiders

Common Eider

King Eider

OldsquawLong-tailed Duck

Harlequin

A word about waterfowl...

Have you quacked up yet?

Or, are you feeling simply ducky?