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Mute Swan

David Albeck's Photos of Ducks, Geese, & Swans (Anatidae)

Swimming birds with webbed feet (front-facing toes only); some have a horizontally-flattened bill; many are highly social and vocal, with a hornlike call. Subfamilies within anserinae are controversial. The scheme I've arbitrarily chosen to follow recognizes two major "subfamilies": Anatinae (ducks, including mergansers and teals) and Anserinae (geese and swans). Some authorities consider diving ducks and mergansers to be subfamilies (Aythynae and Merginae respectively) equal in rank to Anatinae, but the scheme I'm following considers them to be "groups" (sub-sub-families or super-genera) within Anatinae.

Click a thumbnail to see a full-size photo. Click the label below the thumbnail to see the original gallery for each photo.

Subfamily Anatinae

Animalia > Aves > Anatidae > Anatinae

Ducks, mergansers, and teals. (C.f. Anserinae)
A mix of dabblers and divers. All anatins have sexually dimorphic plumage. These groups are represented here so far:
genus Anas, genus Aythya, Mergansers

Genus Anas

Animalia > Aves > Anatidae > Anatinae > Anas

Mallards and close relatives. Dabbling ducks, usually somewhat large.

Black Duck
Anas rubripes

local ducks

Black Duck
Anas rubripes

river fowl

Mallard hen
Anas platyrhynchos

Charles River

Mallard (female)
Anas platyrhynchos

more winter birds

mallard hen
Anas platyrhynchos

scaups & ringnecks

Mallard drake
Anas platyrhynchos

Signs of Spring

Mallard drake
Anas platyrhynchos

Charles River

Mallard (male)
Anas platyrhynchos

more winter birds

mallard drake
Anas platyrhynchos

pond near my home

mallard drake
Anas platyrhynchos

Chandler Pond

mallard drake
Anas platyrhynchos

Swans

mallard drake
Anas platyrhynchos

scaups & ringnecks

Genus Aythya

Animalia > Aves > Anatidae > Anatinae > Aythya

"Diving ducks", duck-billed herbivorous diving ducks, a bit smaller and more shy than mallards.

Ring-Necked Duck (female)
Aythya collaris

more winter birds

Ring-Necked Duck (male)

more winter birds

Ring-necked ducks, Aythya collaris

scaups & ringnecks

Male lesser scaup, Aythya affinis

Yet More Birds

Male greater scaup, Aythya marila

scaups & ringnecks

Genus Bucephala

Animalia > Aves > Anatidae > Anatinae > Bucephala

Goldeneyes and buffleheads. Diving ducks widely considered "seaducks" and akin to mergansers. They nest in tree cavities, often in nests created by woodpeckers.

female Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola

Plum Island

Mergansers

Animalia > Aves > Anatidae > Antinae > Mergansers

"Sea Ducks", carnivorous (usually piscivorous) diving ducks.

Red-Breasted Merganser (female)
Mergus serrator

local ducks

Common Merganser (male)
Mergus merganser

mergansers

Common Merganser (male)
Mergus merganser

mergansers

Hooded Merganser (male)
Lophodytes cucullatus

more winter birds

Hooded Merganser (female)
Lophodytes cucullatus

more winter birds

Hooded Merganser (female)

winter birds

Hooded Merganser

more river fowl

Hooded Mergansers

winter birds

Hooded Merganser

more river fowl

Hooded Merganser

river fowl

Subfamily Anserinae

Animalia > Aves > Anatidae > Anserinae

Geese and swans. c.f. Anatinae
Large, long-necked dabblers with plumage that does not vary with gender. Includes "mute" swans, imported to the Americas from Europe. They're not really mute, but you have to be quiet and patient to hear them.

Nene, Branta sandvicensis