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Waterfowl Classification
- Order: Anseriformes
- Family Anhimidae
- Family Anseranatidae
- Family Anatidae
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Family Anhimidae
- Screamers
- 3 species, South America
- Non-migratory, wetland species
- molt flight-feathers sequentially, no flightless period
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Family Anseranatidae
- monotypic: Magpie Goose, Austrailia
- molt flight-feathers sequentially
- males mate with 2 highly-related females for life
- colonial nesters
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Family Anatidae
- largest family
- 5 subfam, 13 tribes, 51 genera, 171 species
- - forward 3 toes are webbed
- - flattened bill with lamela grooves for straining
- - "dertrum" tipped bill
- - synchronous flightless flight-feather molt
- - worldwide except antarctica
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Subfamily Dendrocygninae
Whislting Ducks and Allies
- Tribe Dendrocygnini
- 1 genus, 8 species Whislting ducks and Tree ducks
- - pantropical
- - no sexual dimorphism
- - male and female share incubation, do not line nests with down
- - cavity nesters close-to and away-from water
- Tribe Thalassornithini
- monotypic: White-Backed duck
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Subfamily Anserinae
- Geese and Swans
- - highly social
- - plumage and vocalizations similar between seconds
- - sexual maturity at 2-3 years old, juvies are not completely developed at first migration and need to learn from adults
- - females build nest and incubate, both parents brood
- - strong family unit links
- - single annual molt follows breeding season right before migration
- Tribe Cereopsini
- - monotypic, Cape Barren Goose, Austrailia
- Tribe Anserini
- - True Geese, 2 genera
- Tribe Cygnini
- - Swans, 2 genera
- - all species are white, function of territorial spacing in the tundra
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Subfamily Stictonettinae
- monotypic: Freckled Duck
- - Austrailian, small numbers, little known about species, secretive
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Subfamily Tadorninae
- Shelducks and allies
- - worldwide except ne-arctic
- - 3 tribes, 11 genera, 24 species
- - all have wingspurs and are aggressive
- Tribe Merganettini
- -Torrent ducks and allies- fast moving rivers and streams, hard to id
- - Blue Duck- New Zealand, endangered, fast-flowing streams
- - Streamer ducks
- - coast of S. America
- - move quickly over water, highly adapted to marine environments
- - very territorial and aggressive
- - Torrent ducks
- - S. American, high elevations in the Andes mountains
- Tribe Plectropterini
- -3 species, old world and new world
- Tribe Tadornini
- -True Shelducks and Sheldgeese
- - worldwide except N. America
- - blunt spurs on wings
- - all grazers, similar to geese in N. America
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Subfamily Anatinae
- -5 tribes, 32 genera, 112 species
- - worldwide
- - 2 annual molts
- - typically sexually dimorphic
- - fairly elaborate courtship displays
- Tribe Malcorhynchini
- Tribe Anatini
- Tribe Aythyini
- Tribe Mergini
- Tribe Oxyurini
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Tribe Malcorhynchini
- -2 species
- - Pink-eared duck, Austrailian interior, oppurtunistic breeders following water availability
- - Salvadori's duck- high altitude, fast-moving streams in New Guinea, compete with trout for inverts
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Tribe Anatini
- -Surface-Feeding/Dabbling ducks
- - largest tribe, 11 genera, 62 species
- - extremely diverse requirements for life and habitats
- - generally feed in water <25 cm deep
- - tip up and feed, need to be able to reach food
- - legs built for swimming- close to center of the body, not good divers
- - usually freshwater especially while breeding, but may winter in coastal estuaries
- - 2 annual molts: pre-basic (non-breeding eclipse plumage) and pre-alternate (breeding plumage)
- - most have irridescent speculum
- - adults sexually dimorphic
- - seasonal pair-bonds, complex courtship displays
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Tribe Aythyini
- Diving ducks ("Pochards")
- - 5 genera, 17 species
- - stout, heavy-bodied, high wing-load
- - run on water to take off
- - sexually dimorphic, courtship displays
- - nest over water in imergent vegetatiion
- - some nest on dry land (scaup and redheads)
- - mostly freshwater but large numbers winter in the Gulf of MX
- - mostly vegetarian
- - feed in water 1.5m or deeper
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Tribe Mergini
- Sea Ducks (also dive)
- - 10 genera, 22 species
- - extinct: Labrador duck- due to commercial harvest, early 1800s
- - extinct: Aukland Island Merganser- due to hunting and introduction of exotic mammalian predators
- - large birds, very accomplished divers
- - Oldsquaw captured in nets as deep as 55m, impressive pressure adaptations
- - feed primarily on fish and inverts
- - mature at 2-3 years of age
- - nest in sheltered areas: rock and tree cavaties
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Tribe Oxyurini
- Stiff-Tailed Ducks (Ruddy ducks)
- - 4 genera, 6 species
- - freshwater marshes worldwide, nest over water
- - 1 species is a nest parasite
- - Musk Duck- Austrailia, only duck species that displays in leks
- - rigid retrocies and short tail coverts
- - divers, rear-situated legs, don't walk well on land
- - flat blue bill
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"Whistling ducks"
- Subfamily Dendrocygninae
- Tribe Dendrocygnini
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White-backed duck (monotypic)
- Subfam Dendrocygninae
- Tribe Tharassornithini
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Cape Barren goose (monotypic)
- Subfamily Anserinae
- Tribe Cereopsini
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"True geese"
- Subfamily Anserinae
- Tribe Anserini
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"Swans"
- Subfamily Anserinae
- Tribe Cygnini
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Freckled duck (mono tribe and species)
Subfamily Strictonettinae
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"Torrent ducks"
- Subfamily Tadorninae
- Tribe Merganeltini
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"Pied Shelducks"
- Subfamily Tadorninae
- Tribe Plectropterini
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"True Sheldgeese and Shelducks"
- Subfamily Tadorninae
- Tribe Tadornini
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Salvadori's duck and Pink-eared duck
- Subfamily Anatinae
- Tribe Malacorhynchini
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"surface-feeding (dabbling) ducks"
- Subfamily Anatinae
- Tribe Anatini
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"Pochards"
- Subfamily Anatinae
- Tribe Aythyini
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"sea ducks
- Subfamily Anatinae
- Tribe Mergini
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"stiff-tailed ducks"
- Subfamily Anatinae
- Tribe Oxyurini
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