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
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
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
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
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