WATERFOWL of North America
The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three families: the Anhimidae (the screamers), Anseranatidae (the Magpie Goose), and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans. 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. [abstracted from Wikipedia]
Diving Ducks
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae
The diving ducks, commonly called pochards or scaups, are a category of duck which feed by diving beneath the surface of the water. They are mainly found in the northern hemisphere. To aid in their swimming under water for food, diving ducks tend to be denser than dabbling ducks and their legs placed further back on their body. They are ungainly walking on ground and their takeoff for flying is labored.
WHO AM I ?
Genus Netta
Netta is a genus of diving ducks. Unlike other diving ducks, the Netta species are reluctant to dive, and feed more like dabbling ducks. These are gregarious ducks, mainly found on fresh water.
They are strong fliers; their broad, blunt-tipped wings require faster wing-beats than those of many ducks and they take off with some difficulty.
Pochard, Red-crested Netta rufina Found: North America (escapees),
Europe, Asia, Africa
Photographed by: 1, 3, 4)
Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 2, 5)
Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights
1) Female 2 - 5) Male
Genus Aythya
Canvasback Aythya valisineria Found: North America
Photographed by: 1, 3, 7) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 2, 5, 6) Dick - Sylvan Heights 4) Dick - North Carolina 8) Dick - North Carolina
1, 2, 3, 4) Female / nonbreeding male 5, 6, 7, 8) Breeding male
Duck, Ferruginous also Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca Found: Europe, Asia
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Similar to: White-eyed Duck. Ranges do not overlap. White-eyed Duck has some white on the bill, Ferruginous Duck does not.
1, 2, 3) Male 4) Female
Duck, Ring-necked Aythya collaris Found: North America
Similar to: Redhead female. The Redhead female has a more gently rounded head. The Ring-necked Duck female has white around the base of the bill.
2, 3) Alan D Wilson - Santee Lakes Recreational Preserve, Near San Diego, California
1 - 4) Female 5, 6, 7) Male
Duck, Tufted Aythya fuligula Found: North America, Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1, 3, 8) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 4, 6) Dick - Sylvan Heights 2, 7) Dick - England
5) Sandy Cole Sylvan Heights
2, 3, 4) Female 5 - 8) Male
Redhead Aythya americana Found: North America
Similar to: Canvasback. The bills and head shape are very different.
Similar to: Ring-necked Duck female. The Redhead female has a more gently rounded head. The Ring-necked Duck female has white around the base of the bill.
Similar to: Ring-necked Duck female. The Redhead female has a more gently rounded head. The Ring-necked Duck female has white around the base of the bill.
4, 8) Dick - Sylvan Heights 5) Dick - Sylvan Heights 6) Jamie Chavez - California 7) Kevin Bercaw
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1) Pair 2 - 5) Female 6) Male in partial eclipse plumage 7 - 10) Breeding males
Scaup, Greater Aythya marila Found: North America, Europe, Asia, Africa
Similar to: Lesser Scaup. Greater Scaups tend to have more rounded heads. The Greater Scaup male has a clear white border where it meets the vermiculated back while the Lesser Scaup male has a smudged region. Greater Scaups tend to have larger bills than Lesser Scaups. Lesser Scaup head tends to slope forward compared to Greater Scaup.
5) Dan Mullen - Wisconsin eclipse 7) Calibas - California 8) Jerry Oldenettel - California
1) Pair 2, 3) Female 4, 5) Male in eclipse 6) Nonbreeding male 7, 8, 9) Male
Scaup, Lesser Aythya affinis Found: The Americas, Asia
Similar to: Greater Scaup. Greater Scaups tend to have more rounded heads. The Greater Scaup male has a clear white border where it meets the vermiculated back while the Lesser Scaup male has a smudged region. Greater Scaups tend to have larger bills than Lesser Scaups. Lesser Scaup head tends to slope forward compared to Greater Scaup.
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6) Shawn McCready - Alberta 7) Jeff Whitlock - Texas 8) New Jersey Birds - California 9) Dick - Twin Lakes, North Carolina
1 - 4) Male 5 - 9) Female
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