Table of Contents

DEDICATION ................................................................ vii
SPONSORS .............................................................. viii-ix
PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDMENTS .................................................. x
FOREWORD .................................................................... 1

CHAPTER 1                                                                      
     WATERFOWL NATURAL HISTORY .............................................. 2
          Habitat ........................................................... 5
          Morphology ........................................................ 7
          Plumage .......................................................... 11
          Molt ............................................................. 15
          Comfort and Maintenance Movements ................................ 17
          Voice ............................................................ 25
          Flocking ......................................................... 27
          Flight ........................................................... 28
          Migration ........................................................ 30
          Swimming and Diving .............................................. 32
          Feeding .......................................................... 33
          Reproduction ..................................................... 36
          Courtship ........................................................ 37
          Mating ........................................................... 39
          Territories and Nests ............................................ 42
          Eggs and incubation .............................................. 44
          Young ............................................................ 46
          Predators and Mortality .......................................... 52

CHAPTER 2                                                                      
     TAXONOMY .............................................................. 62

CHAPTER 3                                                                      
     MAGPIE GOOSE (Anseranas semipalmata) .................................. 66

CHAPTER 4                                                                      
     WHISTLING-DUCKS AND WHITE-BACKED DUCK ................................. 72
          White-faced Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) ................. 73
          Black-bellied [Red-billed] Whistling-Duck (D. autumnalis) ........ 75
          Spotted Whistling-Duck (D. guttata) .............................. 79
          West Indian [Cuban] Whistling-Duck (D. arborea) .................. 81
          Fulvous Whistling-Duck (D. bicolor) .............................. 82
          Plumed [Eyton's] Whistling-Duck (D. eytoni) ...................... 83
          Wandering Whistling-Duck (D. arcuata) ............................ 84
          Lesser [Javan] Whistling-Duck (D. javanica) ...................... 86
          White-backed Duck (Thalassornis leuconotus) ...................... 88

CHAPTER 5                                                                      
     NORTHERN GEESE ........................................................ 92
          Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) .................................... 102
          Bean Goose (A. fabalis) ......................................... 103
          Pink-footed Goose (A. brachyrhynchus) ........................... 106
          Greylag Goose (A. anser) ........................................ 107
          Bar-headed Goose (A. indicus) ................................... 109
          Greater White-fronted Goose (A. albifrons) ...................... 111
          Lesser White-fronted Goose (A. erythropus) ...................... 114
          Emperor Goose (A. canagicus) .................................... 116
          Snow Goose (A. caerulescens) .................................... 118
          Ross' Goose (A. rossii) ......................................... 121
          Canada Goose (A. canadensis) .................................... 124
          Hawaiian Goose [Nene] (A. sandvicensis) ......................... 130
          Brent Goose (A. bernicla) ....................................... 134
          Barnacle Goose (A. leucopsis) ................................... 137
          Red-breasted Goose (A. ruficollis) .............................. 139

CHAPTER 6                                                                      
     SWANS ................................................................ 144
          Coscoroba Swan (Coscoroba coscoroba) ............................ 150
          Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) ..................................... 154
          Black-necked Swan (C. melanocoryphus) ........................... 156
          Mute Swan (C. olor) ............................................. 159
          Trumpeter Swan (C. buccinator) .................................. 163
          Whooper Swan (C. cygnus ) ....................................... 166
          Whistling Swan (C. columbianus) ................................. 169
          Bewick's Swan (C. bewickii) ..................................... 172

CHAPTER 7                                                                      
     WATERFOWL ODDITIES ................................................... 176
          Cape Barren Goose (Cereopsis novaehollandiae) ................... 176
          Freckled Duck (Stictonetta naevosa) ............................. 178
          Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis) ..................... 182
          Comb Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos) .............................. 185
          Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus) ................... 187

CHAPTER 8                                                                      
     SHELDGEESE AND SHELDUCKS ............................................. 192
          Abyssinian Blue-Winged Goose (Cyanochen cyanopterus) ............ 193
          Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus) .......................... 195
          Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubatus) ................................. 197
          Andean Goose (Chloephaga melanoptera) ........................... 198
          Upland [Magellanic] Goose (C. picta) ............................ 200
          Kelp Goose (C. hybrida) ......................................... 205
          Ashy-headed Goose (C. poliocephala) ............................. 209
          Ruddy-headed Goose (C. rubidiceps) .............................. 210
          Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) ............................... 213
          Radjah Shelduck (T. radjah) ..................................... 216
          Ruddy Shelduck (T. ferruginea) .................................. 218
          Cape Shelduck (T. cana) ......................................... 220
          Australian Shelduck (T. tadornoides) ............................ 221
          Paradise Shelduck (T. variegata) ................................ 223
          Crested Shelduck (T. cristata) .................................. 224

CHAPTER 9                                                                      
     STEAMERDUCKS ......................................................... 226
          Flying Steamerduck (Tachyeres patachonicus) ..................... 231
          Magellanic Steamerduck (T. pteneres) ............................ 233
          Falkland Steamerduck (T. brachypterus) .......................... 235
          White-headed Steamerduck (T. leucocephalus) ..................... 238

CHAPTER 10                                                                     
     WHITE-WATER DUCKS .................................................... 240
          Blue Duck (Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos) ......................... 241
          Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata) ................................ 245
          Salvadori's Duck (Salvadorina waigiuensis) ...................... 250

CHAPTER 11                                                                     
     PERCHING-DUCKS ....................................................... 252
          White-winged Wood Duck (Cairina scutulata) ...................... 252
          Muscovy Duck (C. moschata) ...................................... 254
          Hartlaub's Duck (Pteronetta hartlaubi) .......................... 256
          American Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) ................................. 258
          Mandarin Duck (A. galericulata) ................................. 260
          Maned Duck (Chenonetta jubata) .................................. 262
          African Pygmy-goose (Nettapus auritus) .......................... 264
          Cotton Pygmy-goose (N. coromandelianus) ......................... 265
          Green Pygmy-goose (N. pulchellus) ............................... 267
          Brazilian Duck (Amazonetta brasiliensis) ........................ 268

CHAPTER 12                                                                     
     DABBLING DUCKS ....................................................... 270
          Ringed Teal (Calonetta leucophrys) .............................. 272
          Crested Duck (Lophonetta specularioides) ........................ 274
          Spectacled [Bronze-winged] Duck (Speculanas specularis) ......... 276
          Cape Teal (Anas capensis) ....................................... 278
          Gadwall (A. strepera) ........................................... 279
          Falcated Duck (A. falcata) ...................................... 281
          Chiloe Wigeon (A. sibilatrix) ................................... 282
          Eurasian Wigeon (A. penelope) ................................... 284
          American Wigeon [Baldpate] (A. americana) ....................... 285
          Mallard (A. platyrhynchos) ...................................... 288
          Mexican Duck (A. p. diazi) ...................................... 289
          Mariana Mallard (A. p. oustaletti) .............................. 290
          American Black Duck (A. rubripes) ............................... 291
          Mottled [Florida] Duck (A. fulvigula) ........................... 292
          Hawaiian Duck [Koloa] (A. wyvilliana) ........................... 294
          Laysan Duck (A. laysanensis) .................................... 295
          Philippine Duck (A. luzonica) ................................... 296
          Pacific Black [Grey] Duck (A. superciliosa) ..................... 298
          Spot-billed Duck (A. poecilorhyncha) ............................ 300
          Yellow-billed Duck (A. undulata) ................................ 301
          Meller's Duck (A. melleri) ...................................... 303
          African Black Duck (A. sparsa) .................................. 304
          Blue-winged Teal (A. discors) ................................... 305
          Cinnamon Teal (A. cyanoptera) ................................... 307
          Cape Shoveler (A. smithii) ...................................... 310
          Red Shoveler (A. platalea) ...................................... 311
          Australasian Shoveler (A. rhynchotis) ........................... 312
          Northern Shoveler (A. clypeata) ................................. 313
          Madagascar [Bernier's] Teal (A. bernieri) ....................... 315
          Andaman Teal (A. albogularis) ................................... 316
          Grey Teal (A. gracilis) ......................................... 317
          Chestnut Teal (A. castanea) ..................................... 319
          New Zealand Brown Teal (A. chlorotis) ........................... 320
          Auckland Islands Flightless Teal (A. aucklandica) ............... 322
          Campbell Island Flightless Teal (A. nesiotis) ................... 323
          Northern Pintail (A. acuta) ..................................... 325
          Eaton's Pintail (A. eatoni) ..................................... 327
          Yellow-billed Pintail (A. georgica) ............................. 328
          White-cheeked [Bahama] Pintail (A. bahamensis) .................. 331
          Red-billed Pintail (A. erythrorhyncha) .......................... 332
          Speckled Teal (A. flavirostris) ................................. 334
          Garganey (A. querquedula) ....................................... 335
          Baikal Teal (A. formosa) ........................................ 337
          Green-winged [Common] Teal (A. crecca) .......................... 339
          Silver [Versicolored] Teal (A. versicolor) ...................... 341
          Puna Teal (A. puna) ............................................. 342
          Hottentot Teal (A. hottentota) .................................. 344

CHAPTER 13                                                                     
     POCHARDS ............................................................. 346
          Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris) ...................... 346
          Pink-headed Duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea) .................... 347
          Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) .............................. 350
          Rosy-billed Pochard (N. peposaca) ............................... 351
          Southern Pochard (N. erythrophthalma) ........................... 353
          Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) ................................. 355
          Common [Eurasian] Pochard (A. ferina) ........................... 357
          Redhead (A. americana) .......................................... 358
          Australian White-eyed Duck [Hardhead] (A. australis) ............ 360
          Madagascar Pochard (A. innotata) ................................ 361
          Ferruginous Pochard (A. nyroca) ................................. 363
          Baer's Pochard (A. baeri) ....................................... 364
          New Zealand Scaup (A. novaeseelandiae) .......................... 366
          Ring-necked Duck (A. collaris) .................................. 367
          Tufted Duck (A. fuligula) ....................................... 369
          Greater Scaup (A. marila) ....................................... 370
          Lesser Scaup (A. affinis) ....................................... 372

CHAPTER 14                                                                     
     EIDERS ............................................................... 374
          Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) ............................. 378
          Spectacled Eider (S. fischeri) .................................. 383
          King Eider (S. spectabilis) ..................................... 387
          Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri) ........................... 390

CHAPTER 15                                                                     
     SEA-DUCKS ............................................................ 394
          Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) ...................... 394
          Labrador Duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius) ...................... 398
          Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) ........................... 401
          White-winged [Velvet] Scoter (M. fusca) ......................... 403
          Black (Common) Scoter (M. nigra) ................................ 405
          Long-tailed Duck [Oldsquaw] (Clangula hyemalis) ................. 407
          Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) .................................. 410
          Common Goldeneye (B. clangula) .................................. 413
          Barrow's Goldeneye (B. islandica) ............................... 415
          Smew (Mergellus albellus) ....................................... 417
          Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) ........................ 419
          Auckland Islands Merganser (Mergus australis) ................... 421
          Brazilian Merganser (M. octosetaceus) ........................... 422
          Red-breasted Merganser (M. serrator) ............................ 423
          Scaly-sided [Chinese] Merganser (M. squamatus) .................. 426
          Common Merganser [Goosander] (M. merganser) ..................... 427

CHAPTER 16                                                                     
     STIFF-TAILED DUCKS ................................................... 432
          Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) ................................. 435
          Lake [Argentine Ruddy] Duck (O. vittata) ........................ 439
          Australian Blue-billed Duck (O. australis) ...................... 441
          Maccoa Duck (O. maccoa) ......................................... 443
          White-headed Duck (O. leucocephala) ............................. 444
          Masked Duck (Nomonyx [Oxyura] dominica) ......................... 447
          Musk Duck (Biziura lobata) ...................................... 451
          Black-headed Duck (Heteronetta atricapilla) ..................... 456

CHAPTER 17                                                                     
     SCREAMERS ............................................................ 460
          Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta) ................................ 463
          Northern [Black-necked] Screamer (Chauna chavaria) .............. 465
          Southern [Crested] Screamer (C. torquata) ....................... 466

CHAPTER 18                                                                     
     EPILOGUE ............................................................. 468

APPENDIX .................................................................. 474
GLOSSARY .................................................................. 480
BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................. 483
INDEX ..................................................................... 485