Ducks, Geese and Swans
Order: Anseriformes. Family: Anatidae
The swans, ducks and geese are medium to large birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet and bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent. In many ducks the male is colourful while the female is dull brown. The diet consists of a variety of animals and plants. The family is well represented in Britain, especially in winter when large numbers visit from Greenland, Scandinavia and Russia. There are about 160 species worldwide with 55 in Britain.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Mute Swan | Cygnus olor | A & C resident breeding species |
| Tundra Swan (Bewick's Swan) | Cygnus columbianus | A winter visitor |
| Whooper Swan | Cygnus cygnus | A winter visitor and occasional breeder |
| Bean Goose | Anser fabalis | A winter visitor |
| Pink-footed Goose | Anser brachyrhynchus | A winter visitor |
| Greater White-fronted Goose | Anser albifrons | A winter visitor |
| Lesser White-fronted Goose | Anser erythropus | A rare vagrant |
| Greylag Goose | Anser anser | A & C resident wild and feral populations, winter visitor |
| Snow Goose | Anser caerulescens | A & C resident introduced population, some wild vagrants |
| Greater Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | A & C resident introduced population, some wild vagrants |
| Barnacle Goose | Branta leucopsis | A & C winter visitor and resident introduced population |
| Brent Goose | Branta bernicla | A winter visitor |
| Red-breasted Goose | Branta ruficollis | A rare vagrant |
| Egyptian Goose | Alopochen aegyptiaca | C resident introduced population |
| Ruddy Shelduck | Tadorna ferruginea | B Records since 1946 are presumed escapes from captivity |
| Common Shelduck | Tadorna tadorna | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Mandarin Duck | Aix galericulata | C resident introduced population |
| Eurasian Wigeon | Anas penelope | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| American Wigeon | Anas americana | A rare vagrant |
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | A & C resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Baikal Teal | Anas formosa | A rare vagrant |
| Eurasian Teal | Anas crecca | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Green-winged Teal | Anas carolinensis | A scarce migrant |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | A & C resident breeder, winter visitor, and naturalised releases |
| American Black Duck | Anas rubripes | A rare vagrant |
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Garganey | Anas querquedula | A breeding summer visitor |
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | A rare vagrant |
| Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Red-crested Pochard | Netta rufina | A & C scarce migrant and introduced breeder |
| Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | A rare vagrant |
| Common Pochard | Aythya ferina | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Redhead | Aythya americana | A rare vagrant |
| Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | A scarce migrant |
| Ferruginous Duck | Aythya nyroca | A scarce migrant |
| Tufted Duck | Aythya fuligula | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Greater Scaup | Aythya marila | A winter visitor and
occasional breeder |
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | A rare vagrant |
| Common Eider | Somateria mollissima | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| King Eider | Somateria spectabilis | A rare vagrant |
| Steller's Eider | Polysticta stelleri | A rare vagrant |
| Harlequin Duck | Histrionicus histrionicus | A rare vagrant |
| Long-tailed Duck | Clangula hyemalis | A winter visitor and
occasional breeder |
| Common Scoter | Melanitta nigra | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Black Scoter | Melanitta americana | A rare vagrant |
| Surf Scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | A scarce migrant |
| Velvet Scoter | Melanitta fusca | A winter visitor |
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | A rare vagrant |
| Barrow's Goldeneye | Bucephala islandica | A rare vagrant |
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | A rare vagrant |
| Smew | Mergellus albellus | A winter visitor |
| Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Goosander | Mergus merganser | A resident breeder and winter visitor |
| Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | C: introduced species currently subject to an eradication programme |
Read more about this topic: List Of Birds Of Great Britain
Famous quotes containing the words geese and/or swans:
“Let the long contention cease! Geese are swans, and swans are geese. Let them have it how they will! Thou art tired; best be still.”
—Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)
“Holland is a dream, Monsieur, a dream of gold and smoke—smokier by day, more gilded by night. And night and day that dream is peopled with Lohengrins like these, dreamily riding their black bicycles with high handle-bars, funereal swans constantly drifting throughout the whole country, around the seas, along the canals.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)