Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World by Paul A. Johnsgard

The World’s Waterfowl in the 21st Century: A 2010 Supplement to Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World

Paul A. Johnsgard — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:15:34 PDT

Since the 1978 publication of my Ducks, Geese and Swans of the World hundreds if not thousands of publications on the Anatidae have appeared, making a comprehensive literature supplement and text updating impossible. Janet Kear’s (2005) survey of the waterfowl family Anatidae and closely related screamers of the family Anhimidae included more than 3,700 references, of which a significant proportion appeared later than 1978. My revision of the Anseriformes (families Anatidae and Anhimidae) for the 2nd edition of J. C. Peters’ Check-List of the Birds of the World (Johnsgard, 1979) closely followed the classification structure and taxonomic sequence that had been used in this book, except for the absence of a tribe category, which was excluded in order to conform with the categories that had traditionally been used in earlier volumes of the Check-List. In addition to incorporating some more recent taxonomic changes, I have revised several of the range maps to conform with more current information. For these updates I have relied largely on Kear (2005).

Other important waterfowl books published since and covering the entire waterfowl family include an identification guide to the waterfowl, illustrated by color paintings of all species (Madge & Burn, 1988), and two books by Frank Todd (1979, 1996) that are especially notable for their excellent color photographic illustrations.

In addition to these world surveys, several smaller taxonomic groups of waterfowl have been monographed. They include the whistling ducks (Bolen & Rylander, 1983), mute swan (Birkhead & Perrins, 1986), whooper swan (Brazil, 2003), snow goose (Batt, 1996; Cooke, Rockwell & Lane, 1995), Canada goose (Hanson, 1997), Hawaiian goose (Kear & Berger, 1980), upland goose (Summers & McAdam. 1993), common shelduck (Patterson 1982), muscovy duck (Donkin, 1989), wood duck & mandarin duck (Lever, 1989, Shurtleff & Savage, 1996), and stiff-tailed ducks (Johnsgard & Carbonell, 1996).

Also since 1978, many taxonomic studies have been performed (see literature listing that follows this supplement), but the most ambitious of these were the molecular/morphological studies of B. C. Livezey. Because Kear’s 2005 monograph generally followed Livizey’s (1997) proposed taxonomy, a comparative overview of the two is shown in Table 1.

It may be seen that the two taxonomies are very similar, at least as to their broad sequential organization. I recognized a total of one family, three subfamilies, 13 tribes, 45 genera and 151 species, while Livizey accepted three families, five subfamilies, 13 tribes, 55 genera and 173 species of Recent Anatidae. Kear generally followed Livizey’s taxonomy, but recognized 52 genera and 165 Recent anatid species.

In the following updating of species information, emphasis is placed on those species and populations for which significant conservation, taxonomic, or behavioral information has appeared since 1978. No attempt has been made to update all aspects of these species’ biology and status. The 2005 monograph by Kear comprehensively summarized published Anseriformes literature through 2004, and The Birds of North America monograph series documenting all North American species breeding north of Mexico and published between 1993 and 2003 has comprehensive literature surveys. Alternative English names shown in parentheses below are those used by Kear (2005) or other recent authorities. The conservation categories of “endangered”, “critically endangered” and “vulnerable” refer to their IUCN classification status; individual countries, states and conservation organizations may use different terminology or classification criteria. Endangered and vulnerable species are also listed and internationally protected by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), as well as by individual countries or other geo-political entities.

Most of the following citations are more recent than this book’s publication date of 1978, but a few earlier ones are included were among the book’s original citations, usually because they have been mentioned above. For the most comprehensive available survey of post-1978 Anatidae literature, see Kear (2005).

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Index

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:45:45 PDT

The following index is limited to the species of Anatidae; species of other bird families are not indexed, nor are subspecies included. However, vernacular names applied to certain subspecies that sometimes are considered full species are included, as are some generic names that are not utilized in this book but which are still sometimes applied to particular species or species groups. Complete indexing is limited to the entries that correspond to the vernacular names utilized in this book; in these cases the primary species account is indicated in italics. Other vernacular or scientific names are indexed to the section of the principal account only.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Glossary and Vernacular Name Derivations

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:44:31 PDT

Approximate 250 terms: "Amphipoda" through "Xerophytic"

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Sources Cited

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:41:23 PDT

350+ citations

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Color Photographs

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:40:11 PDT

1. White-faced whistling duck, adult
2. Magpie goose, pair with male in foreground
3. Spotted whistling duck, female with brood
4. Plumed whistling duck, pair
5. Lesser whistling duck, pair
6. Black-bellied whistling duck, pair dabbling
7. African white-backed duck, adult male
8. Mute swan, male wing-flapping
9. Black swan, female and brood
10. Black-necked swan, pair carrying brood
11. Trumpeter swan, adult and cygnet
12. Whooper swan, pair and four juveniles
13. Bewick swan, adult and brood
14. Coscoroba swan, adult
15. Lesser white-fronted goose, pair
16. Eastern graylag goose, female and brood
17. Lesser snow goose, female and gosling
18. Barnacle goose, female and brood
19. Atlantic brant, pair
20. Hawaiian goose, adult male
21. Red-breasted goose, pair
22. Cereopsis goose, pair
23. Andean goose, female and goslings
24. Magellan goose, pair with female in foreground
25. Ashy-headed sheldgoose, adult and goslings
26. Egyptian goose, pair
27. Cape shelduck, pair with male in foreground
28. Magellanic flightless steamer duck, pair
29. Comb duck, adult male
30. Gambian spur-winged goose, pair with male in foreground
31. Muscovy duck, male
32. Hartlaub duck, family with male in foreground
33. African pygmy goose, male and two females
34. Ringed teal, pair with brood
35. Mandarin duck, pair with male in foreground
36. Chilean torrent duck, male
37. American wigeon, female and two males
38. Chiloe wigeon, pair with male in foreground
39. Falcated duck, pair with male in foreground
40. Baikal teal, two males
41. Cape teal, pair with female in foreground
42. Crested duck, pair with male on right
43. Bronze-winged duck, pair with male in foreground
44. White-cheeked pintail, pair with male in foreground
45. Garganey, pair with female in foreground
46. Red-crested pochard, male
47. Eurasian pochard, pair with male in foreground
48. Redhead, male and two females
49. Greater scaup, male
50. American eider, pair with female in foreground
51. King eider, pair with male in foreground
52. Spectacled eider, male preening
53. Steller eider, female and two males
54. Long-tailed duck, male in summer plumage
55. Harlequin duck, male
56. Bufflehead, male
57. Barrow goldeneye, pair with female in foreground
58. Hooded merganser, male
59. White-headed duck, male

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Oxyurini (Stiff-tailed Ducks)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:34:38 PDT

Black-headed Duck
Masked Duck
Ruddy Duck
White-headed Duck
Maccoa Duck
Argentine Blue-billed Duck
Australian Blue-billed Duck
Musk Duck

The stiff-tailed ducks are characterized by several unusual features in addition to their long, stiffened tail feathers that serve as underwater rudders. Among other adaptations are their very large feet, which are placed so far back on the body that it is difficult for these birds to walk on land. The body feathers are small, numerous, and have a grebe-like sheen, and the wings are so short that takeoff and flight is attained with difficulty. All of the species have relatively short and thick necks, which in males can be enlarged by the inflation of various internal structures during sexual display. Although all of the species exhibit some dimorphism of size or coloration, the plumage patterns are mostly shades of gray, ruddy brown, and black, with contrasting white markings largely limited to the head. Only one species, the masked duck, exhibits a distinct speculum, and this species is furthermore the only one that is able to attain flight easily. The downy plumage patterns are usually very similar to those of the adult females, which tend to be inconspicuously patterned with grays and browns. Nonbreeding plumages of males also closely resemble those of the females, and during this period the ruddy coloration of the typical forms is largely lost, as is the unusual blue color of the male's bill. Two species that do not fit this general pattern are the Australian musk duck and the South American black-headed duck. The musk duck may readily be considered a typical stiff tail that, under evolutionary pressures associated with a highly competitive mating system favoring strength and aggressiveness, has become remarkably large and has evolved bizarre male displays. However, the black-headed duck lacks many of the traits of the stiff-tailed ducks, and in many anatomical features more closely approaches the dabbling ducks. In addition to providing an apparent evolutionary link with that group, the black-headed duck is also the only species of Anatidae that seems to have become a total social parasite, abandoning its nest-building tendencies in favor of dropping its eggs in the nests of a variety of host species. In this sense it is one of the most specialized of all waterfowl species, although its parasitic adaptations are relatively primitive by comparison with those of some of the better-known species of social parasites.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Mergini (Sea Ducks)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:31:07 PDT

Eider (Common Eider) ● King Eider ● Spectacled Eider ● Steller Eider ● Labrador Duck ● Harlequin Duck ● Long-tailed Duck (Oldsquaw) ● Black Scoter ● Surf Scoter ● White-winged Scoter ● Bufflehead ● BroBarrow Goldeneye ● Common Goldeneye ● Hooded Merganser ● Smew ● Brazilian Merganser ● Red-breasted Merganser ● Chinese Merganser ● Goosander (Common Merganser) ● Auckland Island Merganser

The sea duck tribe, which here includes the eiders, consists of 20 species that are all superb diving birds. They are found in fresh-water as well as marine habitats, and primarily have Northern Hemisphere distribution patterns. Except for the two isolated Southern Hemisphere species, all of the sea ducks have considerable sexual dimorphism in plumage. Males in breeding plumage are usually elaborately patterned, often with predominantly black and white markings, which probably serve very well to localize and identify these birds at considerable distances in their marine environments. However, iridescent coloration is generally limited to the head, and the wing speculum patterns, instead of being iridescent, are generally white and black. Nesting is usually done on fairly open shoreline or in grassy tundra, as in the eiders and long-tailed duck, or in cavities, under heavy brush, or in similar well-concealed locations, as in the goldeneyes, mergansers, and harlequin duck. Females of the ground-nesting forms approach the patterns found among female dabbling ducks in their cryptic coloration, and the downy young of these species are also rather brownish and obscurely patterned. Females of the hole-nesting species are more uniformly brownish and their ducklings are frequently contrastingly spotted with white and dark markings.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Aythyini (Pochards)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:28:14 PDT

Pink-headed Duck ● Red-crested Pochard ● Southern Pochard ● Rosybill ● Canvasback ● Eurasian Pochard ● Redhead ● Ring-necked Duck ● Australasian White-eye ● Siberian White-eye (Baer Pochard) ● Ferruginous White-eye ● Madagascan White-eye ● Tufted Duck ● New Zealand Scaup ● Greater Scaup ● Lesser Scaup

This tribe of primarily fresh-water diving ducks contains 16 species that collectively may be called pochards. The tribe has a nearly worldwide distribution, but only a few of its species have ranges that extend beyond a single continent. In addition to 15 species that are very similar in body proportions and diving adaptations, the apparently extinct pink-headed duck has anatomical characteristics that approach those of the pochards and it clearly should be included in this tribe. All of the typical pochards are adept at diving and possess large feet, with long outer toes and strongly lobed hind toes. Their legs are placed quite far apart and are situated farther back on the body than in other ducks, making the birds relatively awkward on land but improving their diving efficiency. They also have a heavier body size to wing-surface ratio, forcing them to run for some distance over the water when taking flight, in contrast to the "springing" takeoff of dabbling ducks. Although sexual dimorphism occurs to some extent in all species, male plumage patterns are generally not especially complex, and the wing speculum patterns are either lacking or limited to gray or white stripes. The females of pochards are usually rather uniformly brownish, and lack the very distinct patterning of female dabbling ducks. Nesting is usually done on land near water or, more commonly, in beds of emergent vegetation. The downy young tend to be weakly or obscurely patterned with shades of yellow and dark brown.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Anatini (Dabbling or Surface-feeding Ducks)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:24:59 PDT

Blue Duck ● Salvadori Duck ● African Black Duck ● Eurasian Wigeon ● American Wigeon ● Chiloe Wigeon ● Falcated Duck ● Gadwall ● Baikal Teal ● Green-winged Teal ● Speckled Teal ● Cape Teal ● Madagascan Teal ● Gray Teal ● Chestnut Teal ● Brown Teal ● Mallard ● North American Black Duck ● Meller Duck ● Yellow-billed Duck ● Gray Duck ● Philippine Duck ● Bronze-winged Duck ● Crested Duck ● Pintail ● Brown Pintail ● White-cheeked Pintail ● Red-billed Pintail ● Silver Teal ● Hottentot Teal ● Garganey ● Blue-winged Teal ● Cinnamon Teal ● Red Shoveler ● Cape Shoveler ● Australasian Shoveler ● Northern Shoveler ● Pink-eared Duck ● Marbled Teal

The dabbling, or surface-feeding, ducks are, to judge from the number and abundance of the included species, the most successful of all waterfowl. This tribe includes all of the "puddle ducks" that constitute most of the important game species throughout the world. Of the 39 species making up the tribe, all but 3 can readily be placed in the single genus Anas. The tribe has a worldwide distribution, with some of the species occurring on several continents and having extensive transcontinental migration patterns. However, most of the species are temperate-breeding forms and are generally adapted to shallow, marshy habitats where food can be obtained from near the surface by dabbling or tipping-up. In most species the males have fairly elaborate and colorful breeding plumages, whereas the ground-nesting females are mostly cryptically patterned with buff and brown. In nearly all species both sexes have iridescent wing speculum markings, and in all species the trachea has an enlarged bulla at the syrinx. Pair bonds are generally reformed each year during the nonbreeding season, but in some species with long breeding seasons the pair bonds are relatively permanent and the males remain with their offspring and help to protect them.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Merganettini (Torrent Duck)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:18:51 PDT

Torrent Duck
This remarkable stream-dwelling duck of the Andean mountains is certainly one of the most specialized of all waterfowl, and in part its anatomical and behavioral specializations have obscured its basic relationships, which appear to be with either the perching ducks or the dabbling ducks. In the absence of definitive evidence, it seems reasonable to maintain a separate tribe for this species, which exists as a series of relatively isolated populations between Venezuela and Tierra del Fuego that vary greatly in male plumage characteristics. Torrent ducks are essentially cavity- or ledge-nesting forms, although only a few nests have been found, and much still remains to be learned of their breeding biology.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Cairinini (Perching Ducks)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:15:50 PDT

Spur-winged Goose
Muscovy Duck
White-winged Wood Duck
Comb Duck
Hartlaub Duck
Green Pygmy Goose
Cotton Pygmy Goose
African Pygmy Goose
Ringed Teal
North American Wood Duck
Mandarin Duck
Australian Wood Duck
Brazilian Teal

This group of 13 species of primarily perching waterfowl is a rather heterogeneous assemblage of birds that are not easily characterized. In addition to being generally perching and cavity-nesting, they also have fairly wide, rounded wings, elongated tails, and sometimes also relatively long legs. Many of the species exhibit a great deal of iridescent coloration in their plumage, even among females, and in a few species nearly the entire body plumage is iridescent. In some of these brilliantly colored forms, such as the comb duck, muscovy duck, and the spur-winged goose, there is a great difference in the sizes of the sexes even though they may be very similar in plumage patterning. In spite of their brilliant plumages, males of only a few of the species exhibit definite eclipse plumages, probably in part because most of the forms are tropical, with long or irregular breeding seasons. Pair bonding is generally seasonally established in the species that breed in temperate climates, while in the more tropical and seemingly more primitive species the pair bonds are weak and in a few cases apparently even nonexistent. The patterns of the downy young are typically well marked and characterized by white or yellow spots and stripes on a darker background; in many species they are not readily separable from the downy young of dabbling ducks. The two tribes are obviously closely related, and taxonomists are not agreed on which group some species such as the ringed teal, pink-eared duck, and Brazilian teal should be included in. However, to merge the tribes would make a comparatively large tribe and tend to obscure the well-defined differences in the behavior patterns and breeding biologies of these two groups.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Tachyerini (Steamer Ducks)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:07:09 PDT

Flying Steamer Duck
Magellanic Flightless Steamer Duck
Falkland Flightless Steamer Duck

The South American steamer ducks have at times been included with the shelducks, but differ enough from them in structure and behavior to be regarded as a separate but closely related tribe. There are three species very similar in appearance; two are essentially flightless. All are found off the coasts of southern South America and the Falkland Islands, where they feed on mollusks and other marine invertebrates. The males differ slightly from females in their plumage and vocalizations, but in both sexes iridescent coloration is totally lacking and only a simple white speculum is present on the wings. Like the shelducks, however, they are highly aggressive during social display activities. The downy young to some extent resemble those of shelducks, but have less spotting and less contrasting coloration.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Tadornini (Sheldgeese and Shelducks)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 13:04:40 PDT

Blue-winged Goose
Andean Goose
Magellan Goose
Kelp Goose
Ashy-headed Sheldgoose
Ruddy-headed Sheldgoose
Orinoco Goose
Egyptian Goose
Ruddy Shelduck
Cape Shelduck
Australian Shelduck
New Zealand Shelduck
Crested Shelduck
Northern (Common) Shelduck
Radjah Shelduck

The most gooselike species of the subfamily Anatinae are the sheldgeese, which together with the closely related shelducks constitute the tribe Tadornini. This group of 14 species has a worldwide distribution except for North America. The typical sheldgeese are grazing birds, the ecological counterparts of the true geese, while the shelducks are mostly wading and dabbling birds, frequently feeding to a large extent on aquatic invertebrates. In all of the species the adult male has an enlarged bony bulla in the syrinx, which is evidently responsible for the whistling or whistlelike sounds that are important in sexual and aggressive displays. The females of all species have more reedy and typically gooselike or ducklike notes. In all species the males are larger than the females, and often differ appreciably from them in plumage. Although pair bonds are sometimes said to be permanent in the group, in some species at least they may be ruptured through interactions with outside males, and a premium is placed on male aggressiveness during sexual competition for mates. The wings are used in fighting and in most species they are strongly patterned, with white coverts and iridescent coloration on the secondaries or their greater coverts. The downy young are also typically patterned contrastingly in the shelducks and sheldgeese, a characteristic shared with various other cavity-nesting waterfowl.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Stictonettini (Freckled Duck)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:58:50 PDT

Freckled Duck
Even more than the Cape Barren goose, the freckled duck exhibits an assortment of anatomical traits that suggest affinities with the geese and swans, in spite of a fairly typical ducklike appearance and foraging behavior. Its unpatterned downy young, its remarkably primitive syringeal structure, and its reticulated tarsus all strongly argue for the position that this species is the sole survivor of a very ancient waterfowl lineage, with no near living relatives. A detailed study of its social behavior is greatly to be desired, for like the magpie goose, it provides an unequaled opportunity to gain insight into the evolutionary history of the waterfowl group through observation of a unique contemporary form.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Cereopsini (Cape Barren Goose)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:31:21 PDT

Cape Barren Goose
Several recent studies have suggested that this unusual Australian gooselike bird is not very closely related to either the true geese or the sheldgeese, although it shares some traits with both groups. It has some unique traits, such as its unusually swollen bill, its adaptations to a terrestrial existence on the coastline and islands of the Bass Strait, and its very simple syringeal structure. Like the freckled duck, it is perhaps best considered as a survivor of a group transitional between the two major subfamilies of waterfowl that exist at the present time.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Anserini (Swans and True Geese)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:28:34 PDT

Mute Swan
Black Swan
Black-necked Swan
Trumpeter Swan
Whooper Swan
Whistling Swan
Bewick Swan
Coscoroba Swan
Swan Goose
Bean Goose
White-fronted Goose
Lesser White-fronted Goose
Graylag Goose
Bar-headed Goose
Snow Goose
Ross Goose
Emperor Goose
Hawaiian Goose
Canada Goose
Barnacle Goose
Brant
Red-breasted Goose

The swans and true geese are moderately to extremely large waterfowl, which in common with the whistling ducks have plumage patterns that are alike in both sexes and lack iridescent coloration, and they also possess reticulated scale patterns on the tarsal surfaces. Most of the 20 species are found in the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere, the exceptions being 3 species of Southern Hemisphere swans. All are vegetarians, obtaining much of their food from terrestrial surface vegetation in the case of geese, and from subsurface aquatic vegetation in the case of swans. The patterns of the downy young tend to be pale and simple, without strong head or back patterning, and in most species the adult plumages are also fairly simple, with whites and blacks often predominating. The white plumage of most adult swans appears to be related to visibility needs associated with their high degree of territorial spacing. The most highly territorial swans are also the most strongly vocal ones, for the same reason. However, vocalizations of the sexes are very similar, and usually differ only in minor pitch characteristics. Most of the swans and geese are quite strongly migratory, but the insular Hawaiian goose not only has become nonmigratory but also has become semiterrestrial and has evolved reduced toe webbing as it has adapted to a mountainous existence on old lava fields.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Dendrocygnini (Whistling or Tree Ducks)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:22:26 PDT

Spotted Whistling Duck
Plumed Whistling Duck
Fulvous Whistling Duck
Wandering Whistling Duck
Lesser Whistling Duck
White-faced Whistling Duck
Cuban Whistling Duck
Magellan Goose
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
White-backed Duck

The whistling ducks are a group of nine species, eight of which are readily placed in the single genus Dendrocygna, or "tree ducks." However, they are not primarily perching birds, and thus "whistling ducks" is a better vernacular designation than the frequently used "tree ducks." In nearly all species both sexes utter a clear, often multisyllabic whistle that readily identifies the bird as to its species and apparently provides important communication signals in these rather gregarious birds. Most of the species are tropical in distribution, and in all of them the pair bond seems to be permanent and potentially lifelong. Both sexes share equally in brood-rearing responsibilities, and in some species the male is known to participate in incubation as well. Unlike those of geese and swans, the downy young are distinctively patterned. Although the downy young of the white-backed duck differ somewhat from those of Dendrocygna, the species shares a sufficiently large number of behavioral and anatomical traits to be tentatively included in this tribe.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Tribe Anseranatini (Magpie Goose)

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:16:53 PDT

Other vernacular names. Semipalmated goose, pied goose, black-and-white goose; Spaltfussgans (German); oie pie (French); gans overo o pintado (Spanish).

This is the only species of true waterfowl with only partially webbed feet. Adults of both sexes are black on the head, neck, wings, rump, and tail, and white elsewhere. The bill is long and straight, with a well-developed nail at the tip; as in swans, the head is featherless back to the eyes. Females resemble males but are somewhat smaller, lack an enlarged bony crown, and have a higher-pitched voice. Adult males have an elongated trachea that loops downward between the breast muscles and skin and can be felt through the skin; adult females and immature birds lack this feature. Immature birds also have more mottled and grayish plumages than do adults. There are no seasonal variations in plumage. In the field, this goose-sized bird can be readily recognized by its distinctive black and white plumage, its long legs, and its honking, gooselike call. In flight, the slow wing beat and rounded wing outline produce a somewhat vulturine appearance; in the wild the birds usually occur in family-sized groups or larger flocks.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World: Contents, Preface, & Introduction

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:08:56 PDT

Inasmuch as the primary purpose of this book is to provide information on each of the species of the waterfowl family in a standardized format and easily accessible manner, it is important that the reader have some knowledge of the basis for my sequential organization of these species. A variety of attempts to provide a "natural" classification, or one that best reflects actual evolutionary relationships, of the family Anatidae have been made in recent years, with most of them being minor variations on a scheme first proposed by Jean Delacour and Ernst Mayr in 1945. In this landmark classification, emphasis was given to the association of species at the tribal level, rather than to the fragmentation of the family into a large number of subfamilies, as in earlier classifications.

My own behavioral studies of the family resulted in a proposed classification for the group in 1961, which was utilized in my subsequent books (1965a, 1968a) and has been subject to only minor modification since that time based on new information from my own and other studies. In brief, the family Anatidae is here regarded to be composed of 3 subfamilies, 13 tribes, 43 genera, and 148 recent species as follows:

Family Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans)
Subfamily Anseranatinae
Tribe Anseranatini: Magpie goose (1 genus and species)
Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Dendrocygnini: Whistling or tree ducks (2 genera, 9 species)
Tribe Anserini: Swans and true geese (4 genera, 21 species)
Tribe Cereopsini: Cape Barren goose (1 genus and species)
Tribe Stictonettini: Freckled duck (1 genus and species)
Subfamily Anatinae
Tribe Tadornini: Sheldgeese and Shelducks (5 genera, 15 species)
Tribe Tachyerini: Steamer ducks (1 genus, 3 species)
Tribe Cairinini: Perching ducks (9 genera, 13 species)
Tribe Merganettini: Torrent duck (1 genus and species)
Tribe Anatini: Dabbling or surface-feeding ducks (4 genera, 39 species)
Tribe Aythyini: Pochards (3 genera, 16 species)
Tribe Mergini: Sea ducks (8 genera, 20 species)
Tribe Oxyurini: Stiff-tailed ducks (3 genera, 8 species)

These groups are believed to be related to one another in the manner shown in figure 1, which indicates the probable relationships of the 13 tribes and 43 genera recognized in this book. Similar diagrams showing species relationships for each of the major tribes have been published earlier (Johnsgard, 1961a), and with relatively few more recent modifications still provide the basis for the sequence in which individual species are considered in this book. Behavioral and anatomical characteristics that provide the basis for the association of these species into tribes and subfamilies are those which are regarded as particularly significant, and thus it is worth reviewing such "emergent" characteristics before the species- by-species consideration of the entire family.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the World, Revised Edition [complete work]

Paul A. Johnsgard — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:00:32 PDT

The only one-volume comprehensive survey of the family Anatidae available in English, this book combines lavish illustration with information on the natural history, distribution and status, and identification of all the species.

After an introductory discussion of the thirteen tribes of Anatidae, separate accounts follow for each of the nearly 150 recognized species. These include scientific and vernacular names (in French, German, and Spanish as well as English), descriptions of the distribution of all recognized subspecies, selected weights and measurements, and identification criteria for both sexes and various age classes. The “Natural History” section of each species account considers habitats, foods, social behavior, and reproductive biology. Finally, a short discussion of the species’ present population status and current evidence about its evolutionary relationships are presented. A glossary of technical terms and derivations of vernacular names and a reference list of more than three hundred sources supplement the text.

A large number of illustrations—more than 170 line drawings and 132 distribution maps—were prepared especially for this volume, which also includes 59 color plates. Every species is illustrated in line drawings or photographs or both.

For this 2010 revised edition, the author has prepared an extensive supplement— The World’s Waterfowl in the 21st Century—discussing revisions to the taxonomy, changing status and distributions of species, and thirty years of laboratory and field studies by ornithology experts worldwide.

One of the world’s foremost authorities on waterfowl behavior, Paul A. Johnsgard is emeritus professor of biological sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He is the author of more than 40 books, including Handbook of Waterfowl Behavior, Waterfowl: Their Biology and Natural History, Cranes of the World, Grouse and Quails of North America, North American Game Birds of Upland and Shoreline, Waterfowl of North America, Birds of the Great Plains, Birds of the Rocky Mountains, North American Owls, Trogons and Quetzals of the World, Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons of North America, The Pheasants of the World, The Avian Brood Parasites: Deception at the Nest, The Hummingbirds of North America, Arena Birds: Sexual Selection and Behavior, and dozens more.

Cover photograph of whooper swans by Paul A. Johnsgard