Watching Waterfowl

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(No Transcript)
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Watching Waterfowl
Identifying Ducks
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Waterbirds that are NOT Ducks . . .LoonsFamily
Gaviidae
Common Loon, breeding
Red-throated Loon, winter
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More non-ducks . . . GrebesFamily Podicipedidae
Horned Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
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More Non-ducks . . .
Double-crested Cormorant
Common Coot
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Even more non-ducks
Red Phalarope
Common Moorhen/Gallinule
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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

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Swans
Tundra/Whistling Swan
Mute Swan
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Geese
Brant
Canada Goose
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Snow/Blue Goose
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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

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Mallard
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American Black Duck
Note silver underwing-lining in flight
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Common Pintail
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Gadwall

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

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Wigeon
European Wigeon
American Wigeon
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Shoveler
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Blue-winged Teal
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Green-winged Teal
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Wood Duck
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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

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Canvasback
Note bill profile
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Redhead
Mixed flock
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Ringneck
Note white shoulder patch
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Scaup Ducks

• Greater 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

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Goldeneye
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Bufflehead
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Ruddy Duck
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Common Merganser
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Red-breasted Merganser
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Hooded Merganser
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Surf Scoter
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White-winged Scoter
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Black Scoter
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Eiders
King Eider
Common Eider
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OldsquawLong-tailed Duck
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Harlequin
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A word about waterfowl...
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Have you quacked up yet? Or, are you feeling
simply ducky?