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]
Sheldgeese and Shelducks
Order Anseriformes Family Anatidae SubFamily Tadorninae
Tadorninae is the shelduck-sheldgoose subfamily of family Anatidae. This group is largely tropical or Southern Hemisphere in distribution, with only two species, the Common Shelduck and the Ruddy Shelduck breeding in northern temperate regions. The Tadorninae are somewhat intermediate between geese and dabbling ducks.
Shelgeese
Genus Alopochen - 1 species
Goose, Egyptian Alopochen aegyptiacus Found:North America (escaped captive), Europe (introduced), Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Tanzania 3) Dick - Sylvan Heights
4, 5) Dick - Johaneesburg, South Africa 6) Sandy Cole St.Lucia,South Africa
Shelducks
Genus Tadorana
Shelduck, Common Tadorna tadorna Found: North America (escapees), Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2, 6) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights 3) Dick - Birds of Eden, South Africa
4) Dick - San Diego Zoo 5) Dick - Scotland 7, 8) Dick Daniels - Sylvan Heights
2, 3, 4) Female 5, 6, 7, 8) Male
Shelduck, Ruddy Tadorna ferruginea Found: North America (escapees), Europe, Asia
In the breeding season the male has a ring aroung the neck, the female does not.
1) Male 2) Female
Genus Aix
The members of genus Aix have been placed here with in the shelduck subfamily, but they are also close to the dabbling ducks.
Duck, Mandarin Aix galericulata North America (introduced), Europe (introduced), Asia
Photographed by: 1, 5, 6, 7) Dick - Sylvan Heights 2, 4) Dick Daniels - Flamingos Wildlife Refuge, Nevada
3) Dick - Flamingos Wildlife Refuge
_RWD3.jpg){kind=link}
Not native to North America, but they sometimes escape into the wild.
1, 2, 3) Male 4, 5, 6) Female 7) White morph
Duck, Wood Aix sponsa Found: North America
Photographed by: 1) Alan D. Wilson Burnaby Lake Regional Park (Piper Spit), Burnaby Lake, British Columbia
2) Sandy Cole - Cape Fear Acquarium, NC 3) Dick Daniels - Jungle Island of Miami 4) Dick - Maine
5) Dick - Cape Fear Acquarium, NC 6) Dick - Cape Fear Acquarium 8) Dick - Sylvan Heights
7) Alan D. Wilson - Piper Avenue Boardwalk, Burnaby, British Columbia
1 - 4) Female 5 - 8) Male
Genus Cairina
This genus formerly included the white-winged duck, but DNA evidence implies it is only distantly related to muscovy ducks. Muscovy ducks seem to be more related to those in the Aix genus and are thus listed here on the shelduck web page.
Duck, Muscovy Cairina moschata Found: North America (feral), Central and South America,
Photographed by: 1) Sandy Cole - Sylvan Heights 2) Dick - Sylvan Heights 3) Dick - Sylvan Heights
4) Dick Daniels - Jamaica 5) Dick - Florida 6) Dick - California
1, 2, 3) Natural Muscovy Ducks 4, 5, 6) Feral Muscovy Ducks
All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details. Dick Daniels, webmaster.