Waterfowl Facts and Identification By John Martsh R-3 Program - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Waterfowl Facts and Identification By John Martsh R-3 Program - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Waterfowl Facts and Identification By John Martsh R-3 Program Manager North American Flyway Map Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Program Prairie Pothole Region Credit: Prairie Pothole Joint Venture website Canadas

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Waterfowl Facts and Identification

By John Martsh R-3 Program Manager

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North American Flyway Map

Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Migratory Bird Program

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Prairie Pothole Region

Credit: Prairie Pothole Joint Venture website

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Canada’s Boreal Forest

Credit: Boreal Songbird Initiative

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Relative Sizes of Waterfowl

Credit: USFWS

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New Mexico Waterfowl

  • A total of 26 species of waterfowl are found in

New Mexico.

– 10 Dabbling Ducks – 9 Diving Ducks – 1 Stiff-tailed Duck – 4 Geese – 2 Swans

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Body Parts for Identification

Pay attention to the shape and colors of the:

  • Bill, head, wings (specifically speculum) and

chest, on waterfowl.

  • Drab versus bright colors to identify gender.
  • Can you see vermiculation (pattern of dense,

irregular gray lines) or the speculum (colorful portion of drake or hen’s wing)?

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Waterfowl Life Cycle

Once mature, waterfowl go through a yearly cycle: Fall Migration=>Winter=>Spring Migration=> Pre-Nesting=>Nesting=>Hatching=>Brood Rearing=>Post Breeding=>Molt Females have shorter lifespans than males due to stress of breeding, nesting and raising young. Wild swans live longest, averaging 20-30 years, geese average 10-24 years and ducks 5-10 years.

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Waterfowl Nomenclature

Artwork by John Martsh

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Ducks

  • Divided into 2 broad categories.
  • Size difference between drakes (males) and

hens (females).

  • Drakes are more colorful than hens, which

tend to be drab, mottled colors.

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Dabbling Ducks

  • Also called puddle ducks.
  • Feed by bobbing their head underwater.
  • Prefer smaller, shallow bodies of water with

nearby cover.

  • Legs exit from the middle of their belly.
  • Swim with tail high above water’s surface.
  • Spring into the air on take off.
  • More likely than divers to feed in agricultural

fields because they walk and run well on land.

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Mallard

Credit: Mark Watson

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Mallard

Credit: USFWS

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Mexican Mallard

Credit: Jim Stuart

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Northern Pintail

Credit: Jim Stuart Credit: Jim Stuart

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Northern Pintail

Credit: USFWS

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Gadwall

Credit: Jim Stuart

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Gadwall

Credit: USFWS

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American Wigeon

Credit: Jim Stuart

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American Wigeon

Credit: USFWS

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Northern Shoveler

Credit: Jim Stuart

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Northern Shoveler

Credit: USFWS

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Wood Duck

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Wood Duck

Credit: USFWS

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Green-Winged Teal

Credit: Jim Stuart

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Green-Winged Teal

Credit: USFWS

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Blue-Winged Teal

Credit: Jim Stuart

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Blue-Winged Teal

Credit: USFWS

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Cinnamon Teal

Credit: Mark Watson

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Cinnamon Teal

Credit: USFWS

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Diving Ducks

  • Feed by diving completely underwater.
  • Prefer larger, open, deep bodies of water and

typically swim towards the middle.

  • Legs exit towards the rear of the body.
  • Swim with tail close to the water.
  • “Walk” along water’s surface on take off.
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Common Goldeneye

Credit: Jim Stuart

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Barrow’s Goldeneye

Credit: USFWS

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Goldeneyes

Credit: USFWS

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Canvasback

Credit: Jim Stuart

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Canvasback

Credit: USFWS

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Redhead

Credit: Mark Watson

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Redhead

Credit: USFWS

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Ring-necked Duck

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Ring-necked Duck

Credit: USFWS

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Lesser Scaup

Credit: Jim Stuart Credit: Jim Stuart

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Lesser Scaup

Credit: USFWS

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Bufflehead

Credit: Jim Stuart Credit: Mark Watson

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Bufflehead

Credit: USFWS

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Common Merganser

Credit: Mark Watson Credit: Mark Watson

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Common Merganser

Credit: USFWS

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Hooded Merganser

Credit: Mark Watson Credit: Mark Watson

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Hooded Merganser

Credit: USFWS

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Stiff-tailed Duck

  • Long, stiff-tail feathers, which are raised when

the bird is resting.

  • Long, puffy bill.
  • Legs are set far back on body, making walking
  • n land difficult.
  • This duck rarely leaves the water.
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Ruddy Duck

Credit: USFWS Credit: Jim Stuart

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Ruddy Duck

Credit: USFWS

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Geese

  • Geese are larger waterfowl than ducks,

averaging about 6.5 pounds and 30” in length.

  • Except for a slight size difference, males and

females appear identical.

  • Geese are quite vocal.
  • Generally stick to larger flocks than ducks.
  • Flocks are typically family groups.
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Ross’ Goose

Credit: USFWS

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Snow Goose

Credit: John Martsh

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Snow Goose

Credit: USFWS

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White-fronted Goose

Credit: USFWS

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White-fronted Goose

Credit: USFWS

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Canada Goose

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Canada Goose

Credit: USFWS

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Swans

  • Swans are the largest waterfowl, averaging

a weight of 22 pounds and 56” in length.

  • Males and females appear identical except for

a slight size difference.

  • Tundra and trumpeter both have black bills

with white bodies, but mature tundra has a yellow spot on bill in front of eye.

  • Trumpeter is much heavier and longer.
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Tundra Swan

Credit: Mark Watson

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Tundra Swan

Credit: USFWS

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Trumpeter Swan

Credit: Jim Stuart

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Trumpeter Swan

Credit: USFWS

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Conclusion

  • Find a location with resident waterfowl year

round.

  • Use waterfowl identification booklet or cell

phone application.

  • Practice identifying ducks, geese and swans.
  • Identify species.
  • Identify gender.