Anatidae

The Anatidae are the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents. These are birds that are adapted for swimming, floating on the water surface, and in some cases diving in at least shallow water. The family contains around 146 species in 40 genera. (The magpie goose is no longer considered to be part of the Anatidae, but is placed in its own family Anseranatidae.)

They are generally herbivorous, and are monogamous breeders. A number of species undertake annual migrations. A few species have been domesticated for agriculture, and many others are hunted for food and recreation. Five species have become extinct since 1600, and many more are threatened with extinction.

Description and ecology

The ducks, geese and swans are small- to large-sized birds with a broad and elongated general body plan. Diving species vary from this in being rounder. Extant species range in size from the cotton pygmy goose, at as little as 26.5 cm (10.5 inches) and 164 grams (5.8 oz), to the trumpeter swan, at as much as 183 cm (6 ft) and 17.2 kg (38 lb). The wings are short and pointed, and supported by strong wing muscles that generate rapid beats in flight. They typically have long necks, although this varies in degree between species. The legs are short, strong, are set far to the back of the body (more so in the more aquatic species), and have a leathery feel with a scaly texture. Combined with their body shape this can make some species awkward on land, but they are stronger walkers than other marine and water birds such as grebes or petrels. They have webbed feet. The bills are made of soft keratin with a thin and sensitive layer of skin on top (which has a leathery feel when touched). For most species, the shape of the bill tends to be more flattened to a greater or lesser extent. These contain serrated lamellae which are particularly well defined in the filter-feeding species.

Waterbird Society

The Waterbird Society, formerly known as the Colonial Waterbirds Society, is a United States based ornithological society, focusing on the behavior, ecology, and conservation of waterbirds. It was founded in 1976 as the Colonial Waterbird Group, becoming the Colonial Waterbird Society in 1986 and acquiring its current name in 1999 to reflect an expanding interest in all waterbirds. It publishes the journal Waterbirds, with the subtitle The International Journal of Waterbird Biology. It makes two international awards, the Robert Cushman Murphy Prize for excellence in avian sciences, and the Kai Curry-Lindahl Prize for excellence in conservation biology. The Waterbird Society is a member of the Ornithological Council.

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