Anseriformes

1. Anseriformes Anatidae

2. Anseriformes: Anatidae: Swans, Geese, & Ducks • Field Marks: • Feet anisodactyl and palmate • Bill lamellate and depressed, or serrate and compressed, with nail present on tip • Heavy body • Relatively short tails • Large head, long neck and wings • Sex: Dimorphic • Habitat: Marshes, lakes, rivers, estuaries, bays • Life History: • Omnivorous, herbivorous, or carnivorous • Hybrids are very common • Highly social during non-breeding season • Northern species migratory • Among oldest on record: 28 yrs • Distribution: • 154 species in at least 45 genera, on all continents and many isolated islands • 50 species in 19 genera occur in North America

3. Dendrocygninae: Whistling-Ducks • Field Marks: • Appearance intermediate between ducks and geese • Duck-sized body • Long legs • Long neck, but not as long as body • Bill depressed • Sex: Monomorphic • Life History: • Eat animal foods during breeding and as juveniles • Plant foods more common at other times • Gregarious, flying to and from roosts in large flocks • Distinctive whistling calls • Distribution: • Occur in warm temperate to tropical habitats around the world • 2 species occur in North America

4. © UCD Photo ©Photo by Juan Guillermo Jaramillo Fulvous Whistling-DuckDendrocygna bicolor • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Dendrocygninae • Family: Anatidae • Field Marks: • Long-legs and neck, erect stance; appears tall • Blackish-brown upperparts with tawny cinnamon underparts • Ivory, buff-streaked flanks • Whitish upper and undertail coverts • Dark bill and dark legs • Sex: Monomorphic • Habitat: Freshwater marshes • Life History: • Occurs year-round in southern CA • Expanded distribution into southern U.S. in late 1800s, especially rice-growing areas • Calls constantly in flight • Conservation: • CA Species of Special Concern due to reduction in range of breeding population, probably related to loss of wetland habitat

5. Anserinae: Swans and Geese • Field Marks: • Large size • Neck relatively long • Sex: • Monomorphic in plumage, but may differ in size and voice

6. Cygnini: Swans • Field Marks: • Very large size • Neck longer than body • Plumage entirely white (in North American species) • Sex: Monomorphic • Life History: • Most feed on plants year-round • Use long necks to reach aquatic plants in shallow water • Distribution: • 7 species worldwide • 2 species occur in North America, plus 1 introduced species

7. ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Tundra SwanCygnus columbianus • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anserinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Cygnini (Swans) • Field Marks: • Plumage entirely white • Black bill and black legs • Lores black, usually with yellow spot • Smallest of the North American swans • Sex: Monomorphic • Habitat: • Fresh and saltwater marshes, lakes, ponds, rivers, and ag fields • Life History: • Nearctic migrant • Young remain with parents until arrival back at breeding grounds • Declines in vegetation at historic wintering grounds has led to extensive feeding in grain fields, and conflict with farmers • Most numerous and widespread of the North American swans

8. ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Tundra SwanCygnus columbianus • A melancholy, clear, singing • kwooo • with hooting or barking quality

9. Anserini: Geese • Field Marks: • Large size • Neck long, but not longer than body • Relatively short legs • Relatively conical bill • Plumage never entirely white • Sex: Monomorphic • Life History: • Most feed on plants year-round, grazing in upland habitats • Well adapted to cold weather • Distribution: • Especially common in Arctic and temperate regions • 6 species occur in North America

10. ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette ©Photo by Steve Messick Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anserinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anserini (Geese) • Field Marks: • Brown to gray-brown with gray-white vent • Black bands on lower breast and belly • White forehead • White undertail coverts and white band across uppertail coverts • White lateral streak where flank feathers cover edge of folded wing • Pinkish bill and orange legs • Sex: Monomorphic • Habitat: Agricultural fields • Life History: • Nearctic migrant, breeding in the open tundra of the Arctic • Provides extended biparental care to young into the next breeding season and beyond

11. ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette ©Photo by Steve Messick Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons • Quick, high-pitched laughing or yelping of • two or three rising syllables • ho-leeleek or kilik

12. Ross’s GooseChen rossii • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anserinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anserini (Geese) • Field Marks: • Small goose with relatively short neck and round head • White overall with black primaries • Edge of bill at lores a straight vertical line • Slight arch in tomia, but lacks dark “grin patch” • May develop caruncles on base of bill with age • Dark or blue morph rare • Sex: Monomorphic • Habitat: Freshwater marsh and agricultural fields • Life History: • Nearctic migrant, breeding in low arctic tundra • CA central valley is the species’ main wintering area

13. White phase White and blue phase ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Snow GooseChen caerulescens • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anserinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anserini (Geese) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized, stocky, and large-headed • White morph is white overall with black primaries • Edge of bill at lores curved • Arches in tomia create large dark “grin patch” • Dark or blue morph is dark gray-brown with white head; light gray coverts contrast with black primaries (rare in CA) • Sex: Monomorphic • Habitat: • Fresh and saltwater marshes, agricultural fields • Life History: • Nearctic migrant • CA central valley is one of the largest wintering grounds • Often found in very large flocks

14. White phase White and blue phase ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Snow GooseChen caerulescens • Harsh, monosyllabic, descending • whouk • or higher • heenk • harsher and more raucous than other geese

15. ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Canada GooseBranta canadensis • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anserinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anserini (Geese) • Field Marks: • Grayish-brown overall • Black head and neck with white chinstrap • Black rump, white uppertail coverts, and black tail • Bill and legs black • Larger than Cackling Goose, and tends to have paler breast • Sex: Monomorphic • Habitat: • Fresh and saltwater marshes, lakes, rivers, and agricultural fields • Life History: • Nearctic migrant, though many populations have become sedentary • Smaller subspecies recently moved to new species: Cackling Goose

16. ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Canada GooseBranta canadensis • Loud, resonant, and musical honk: • h-ronk and h-lenk

17. ©Photo by Paul and Helen Harris © Bill Schmoker Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsii • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anserinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anserini (Geese) • Field Marks: • Grayish-brown overall • Black head and neck with white chinstrap • Black rump, white uppertail coverts, and black tail • Bill and legs black • Smaller than Canada Goose, and tends to have darker breast • Sex: Monomorphic • Habitat: • Fresh and saltwater marshes, lakes, rivers, and agricultural fields • Life History: • Nearctic migrant, though many populations have become sedentary • Recently split from larger Canada Goose • Aleutian subspecies B.h. leucopareia was a Federal Endangered Species, related to introduction of Arctic fox; delisted in 2001, recovering from 800 individuals in mid-1970s to more than 20,000 today

18. ©Photo by Glen Tepke ©Photo by Peter LaTourrette BrantBranta bernicla • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anserinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anserini (Geese) • Field Marks: • Grayish-brown back and wing coverts with black primaries • Underparts range from pale to dark gray with subpopulations • Black head and neck with white “necklace” • Long, white uppertail coverts conceal black tail • Bill and legs black • Sex: Monomorphic • Habitat: Saltwater marshes, estuaries, and mudflats • Life History: • Nearctic migrant • Dependent on certain food plants in wintering and migration stopover areas, making it more vulnerable to starvation than most geese

19. Anatinae: Ducks • Field Marks: • Relatively small size • Relatively short necks • Sex: Dimorphic

20. Anatini: Dabbling and Perching Ducks • Field Marks: • Bill strongly depressed and lamellate • Metallic speculum on secondaries • Legs relatively long, and set toward the middle of the body • Rectrices not stiff and narrow • Most able to take flight from water without a running start • Sex: Dimorphic • Life History: • Primarily feed on the water’s surface by straining water through bill; or • By up-ending to reach deeper food items; or • By grazing in upland habitats, stripping vegetation or foraging on ground • Distribution: • Over 50 species worldwide • 12 native species occur in North America

21. Pair © UCD Photo Male ©Photo by Peter LaTourrette Wood DuckAix sponsa • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Small to medium-sized • Rectangular tail • Green speculum • Legs yellowish • Sex: • Female has gray crested head, dark eye with white eye patch, brownish to gray body with pale spotted flanks and white throat • Male has red eye and white “bridle.” In alternate plumage, brightly colored overall, with iridescent green and purple head green, purple, and white crest, and burgundy breast • Habitat: Freshwater marshes, rivers, riparian woodland • Life History: • Occurs year-round in CA • Nests in Pileated Woodpecker tree cavities (or artificial nest boxes) • Comprises 10% of annual waterfowl harvest, second only to Mallard

22. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette MallardAnas platyrhynchos • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium to large-sized and stocky • Iridescent blue to violet-blue speculum bordered with white bars • Legs orange-red • Sex: • Females have orange bill with dark center, prominent dark eye line, brown body streaked with buff, white, gray or black • Males have clean yellow bill. In breeding plumage, dark green head, narrow white neck-ring, chestnut-brown breast and pale gray body, black rump, undertail coverts, and central rectrices • Habitat: Freshwater marsh, ponds, agricultural fields • Life History: • Occurs year-round in CA • Most abundant and most heavily hunted duck in North America

23. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette MallardAnas platyrhynchos • Females give familiar, loud quacking calls • Male gives a similar, short rasping • quelp

24. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Northern PintailAnas acuta • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized and slender • Long narrow wings and neck • Pointed tail • Legs gray • Sex: • Female is mottled brown with bronze speculum and dark gray bill • Males grayer with green speculum; in alternate plumage have chocolate brown head, white neck with stripe extending up the nape, and very long central rectrices • Habitat: • Fresh and saltwater marshes, estuaries, and agricultural fields • Life History: • Occurs year-round in parts of CA, but main nesting areas in Alaska and Canada

25. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Northern PintailAnas acuta • Quieter, hoarser quack than Mallard

26. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette GadwallAnas strepera • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized • White speculum • Legs yellow • Sex: • Females mottled gray-brown with white abdomen; thin orange bill with dark stripe down center • In alternate plumage, males grayer and less mottled; inner wing coverts black and chestnut; rump and undertail coverts black; bill slate gray • Habitat: • Lakes, ponds, fresh and brackish marshes, agricultural fields • Life History: • Occurs year-round in parts of CA, but primarily breeds in north-central US and southern Canada

27. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette American WigeonAnas americana • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized with long, pointed tail • Brownish-black and white streaked head and neck • Breast, sides, flanks pinkish-brown contrasting with white abdomen • Bill small, grayish-blue, with black tip • Legs dark gray • Sex: • Males in alternate plumage have white or buffy forehead, broad green patch surrounding eye to nape; dark green speculum; large white patch on inner wing coverts • Females have dark eye smudge, dark, mostly black speculum and small white wing bar • Habitat: • Freshwater marshes, rivers, lakes, ponds, estuaries, and ag fields • Life History: Nearctic migrant, wintering in CA

28. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette American WigeonAnas americana • Male: airy whistle of two or three syllables: • wi-WIW-wew or Wiwhew • Female: low, harsh, growling quack: • rred or warr warr warr

29. 2 Males and 1 Female Male ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Northern ShovelerAnas clypeata • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized • Long, spatulate, lamellate bill • Large blue patch on forewing; green speculum • Orange legs • Sex: • Females have dark eye, dull gray-blue wing patch, orange bill with dark center • Males have yellow eye, bright light blue wing patch with white border; in alternate plumage have iridescent green head, white breast, rufous belly and flanks, and dark bill • Habitat: • Fresh and saltwater marshes, ponds, agricultural fields • Life History: • Nearctic migrant, but may occur year-round in parts of CA • Bill adaptive for straining crustaceans from water • The most territorial of the Anatini, remaining in pairs longer

30. Male ©Photo by Peter LaTourrette ©Photo by Giuliano Gerra and Silvio Sommazzi Pair Blue-winged TealAnas discors • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Small size • Large blue patch on forewing • Whitish patch at base of bill • Dark bill and grayish to yellow legs and feet • Sex: • Females have narrow white border to dull blue-gray wing patch; blackish-brown speculum with little green; dark eye line with small whitish crescents above and below eye • Males have broad white border to bright blue wing patch; green speculum; in alternate plumage, gray head with large white crescent in front of eye; cinnamon underparts with black spots; round white patch on rear flank • Habitat: • Freshwater and brackish marshes, ponds, and agricultural fields • Life History: • Occurs primarily in winter in CA, but most winter south of U.S.

31. Pair Pair ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Cinnamon TealAnas cyanoptera • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Small size • Large blue patch on forewing; greenish speculum • Yellowish legs and dark, almost shoveler-like bill • Sex: • Females mottled brown with dark eye, dull green speculum, narrow white border to dull blue wing patch; no eye line • Males reddish overall with red eye, iridescent bronze-green speculum, and white border to bright blue wing patch; in alternate plumage, bright rusty head, neck, and underparts • Habitat: Freshwater marshes • Life History: • Occurs year-round in CA • Feed socially, with groups of birds following each other to feed on food stirred up by the bird in front

32. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Green-winged TealAnas crecca • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Anatini (Dabbling Ducks) • Field Marks: • Small • Green speculum bordered by whitish or buffy bars • Small, thin, dark bill and gray legs • Sex: • Females mottled brown with dark gray forewing; white chin and belly • Males in alternate plumage haven cinnamon head with iridescent green crescent, pinkish breast spotted black, short vertical white bar in front of wing, sides and back gray, yellow and black undertail coverts • Habitat: • Fresh and saltwater marshes, ponds, agricultural fields • Life History: • Occurs in CA primarily in winter • 2nd most hunted duck in North America

33. Aythyini: Diving Ducks • Field Marks: • Bill strongly depressed and lamellate, and relatively short • No metallic speculum on secondaries • Legs set toward the rear of the body • Rectrices not stiff and narrow • Not able to take flight from water without a running start • Sex: Dimorphic • Life History: • Primarily feed by diving • Eat more animal foods than Anatini • Distribution: • 15 species worldwide • 5 species occur in North America

34. Male Female ©Photos by Bob Steele Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Aythyini (Diving Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized • Peaked, angular head • Dark upperparts with paler gray to brown flanks • Dark gray bill with white at base and bordering black tip • No white on wings • Sex: • Females grayish brown with white eye ring and whitish eye line • Males with black head, neck, breast and upperparts; in alternate plumage, whitish to grayish belly and flanks, with a distinctive white “spur” extending up in front of the folded wing • Habitat: Freshwater marshes • Life History: • Occurs in CA in winter

35. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Lesser ScaupAythya affinia • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Aythyini (Diving Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized • Steep forehead with distinct bump at rear crown • Narrow nail at tip of bill • Outer webs of secondaries white, creating partial wing stripe • Sex: • Female chocolate brown with white patch at base of dark gray bill • Males in alternate plumage have slaty blue bill; black head with purplish (sometimes green) gloss; black neck, breast, and undertail region with white flanks and belly • Habitat: Lakes and fresh to brackish bays and estuaries • Life History: • Occurs in CA in winter

36. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Greater ScaupAythya marila • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Aythyini (Diving Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium to large sized • Head rounded, without distinct bump at rear of crown • Wide nail at tip of bill • Outer webs of secondaries and inner primaries white, creating large partial wing stripe • Sex: • Female chocolate brown with white patch at base of dark gray bill; often pale auricular patch • Males in alternate plumage have slaty blue bill; black head with greenish (never purple) gloss; black neck, breast, and undertail region with white flanks and belly • Habitat: Saltwater bays and estuaries • Life History: • Occurs along CA coast in winter, but 80% of population winters on the east coast

37. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette CanvasbackAythya valisineria • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Aythyini (Diving Ducks) • Field Marks: • Large size • Darker head, neck, and breast with pale gray body • Wedge-shaped head with forehead smoothly sloping to long, black bill • Sex: • Females have brownish head, neck, breast, and uppertail coverts • Males have reddish brown head and neck, black breast, rump, and uppertail coverts; wings extensively white • Habitat: • Lakes, brackish and saltwater bays and estuaries • Life History: • Occurs in CA primarily in winter • Prefers shallow water, but can dive more than 9m • One of the least abundant North American ducks • Primary host for parasitic egg-laying by the Redhead

38. Male Female ©Photos by Bob Steele RedheadAythya americana • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Aythyini (Diving Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium sized • Rounded, puffy head • Short blue-gray bill with white band bordering black tip • Pale gray secondaries contrast with darker forewing • Sex: • Females plain brownish with whitish chin and eye ring • Males in alternate plumage have rufous head and neck, black breast, gray body, black upper and undertail coverts • Habitat: • Lakes, salt and freshwater marsh, coastal bays and estuaries. • Life History: • Occurs year-round in parts of CA • Winter population concentrated along the Gulf of Mexico coast, where it is dependent on seagrasses • Intra- and Inter-specific egg parasitism is common

39. Mergini: Sea Ducks and Mergansers • Field Marks: • Bill relatively conical to terete, and either serrate or weakly lamellate • No metallic speculum on secondaries • Rectrices not stiff and narrow • Compact plumage with heavy down • Sex: Dimorphic • Life History: • Eat large invertebrates, shellfish, fish eggs, or fish year-round • Primarily feed by diving • Tolerate salt water and cold climates • Distribution: • Prevalent in northern temperate or subarctic areas • 19 species in 9 genera worldwide • 15 species in all 9 genera occur in North America

40. Male ©Photo by Peter LaTourrette Female ©Photo by Mike Danzenbaker Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Mergini (Sea Ducks) • Field Marks: • Large size, with large gibbous bill • Dark plumage overall, with white patches on head • Sex: • Female has two indistinct whitish head patches, a smaller vertical patch at base of dark bill and a larger patch on cheeks • Male has white forehead and nape patches, and multicolored bill with a white, red, yellow, and black pattern • Habitat: • Inshore ocean waters, coastal bays and estuaries. • Life History: • Primarily occurs along CA coast in winter, nesting in northern Canada and Alaska

41. Male © UCD Photo Female ©Photo by Joseph W. Hammond White-winged ScoterMelanitta fusca • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Mergini (Sea Ducks) • Field Marks: • Large size, with large gibbous bill • Dark plumage overall, with white patches on head • Entirely white patch on secondaries • Sex: • Female has two indistinct whitish head patches, an oval patch at base of dark bill, and a larger patch on cheeks • Male has small white patch below eye, multicolored bill with orange, yellow, and black, with black hump at base of bill • Habitat: • Inshore ocean waters, coastal bays and estuaries. • Life History: • Primarily occurs along CA coast in winter

42. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Mergini (Sea Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized, stocky, with short neck and round body • Gray-black bill (females with some yellow on tip) • Tall peaked head with long sloping forehead and bill • Large white patch on secondaries • Sex: • Females have chocolate brown head; slaty gray back, wings, and tail; and white flanks, belly, and breast • Males in alternate plumage have iridescent greenish-black head with oval white patch at base of bill; mostly white sides, breast, belly, and secondaries contrast with black back, wings, and tail; scapulars mostly white with narrow black lines • Habitat: Coastal bays and estuaries, lakes and rivers • Life History: • Occurs in CA in winter

43. Male ©Photo by Peter LaTourrette Female ©Photo by David Blevins Barrow’s GoldeneyeBucephala islandica • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Mergini (Sea Ducks) • Field Marks: • Medium-sized, stocky, with short neck and round body • Gray-black bill (females usually mostly yellow) • Large rounded head with steep forehead and flat crown • Narrow white wing patch on secondaries • Sex: • Females have dark chocolate-brown head; slate-gray back, wings, and tail; and white flanks, belly, and breast • Males in alternate plumage have iridescent, purplish-black head with white crescent-patch at base of bill; white sides, breast, belly, and secondaries contrasted against black back, wings, and tail; scapulars mostly black with white spots • Habitat: Coastal bays and estuaries, lakes and rivers • Life History: • Occurs along CA coast primarily in winter • Conservation: • CA Species of Special Concern, as it no longer breeds in CA • Likely causes include removal of trees that provided nest cavities

44. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette BuffleheadBucephala albeola • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Mergini (Sea Ducks) • Field Marks: • Small and compact with short neck • Dark head and back with white patch on auriculars • Small gray bill • White wing patch on secondaries • Sex: • Females have mostly dark brown on head, back, and wings; pale gray underparts; small white auricular patch and small white wing patch on secondaries • Males in alternate plumage have black head, glossed green and purple, with large white patch from auriculars across nape; back black and white body; wings black, with large white patch occupying most of secondaries and coverts. • Habitat: • Coastal bays and estuaries, ponds, lakes and rivers • Life History: • Occurs in CA primarily in winter • Nests in cavities of the Northern Flicker (too small for other cavity-nesting ducks)

45. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Common MerganserMergus merganser • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Mergini (Sea Ducks) • Field Marks: • Large sized • Long, narrow scarlet-orange bill • White patch on secondaries • Sex: • Female in has rusty-brown head with long crest and distinct white chin patch, gray breast, back, wings and tail, white flanks and belly • Males in alternate plumage have iridescent, greenish-black head, white neck, underparts, and secondaries contrasting against black upper wings, gray back and tail • Habitat: Lakes and rivers with mature forests nearby • Life History: • Occurs year-round in CA • As a top predator in aquatic systems, has served as indicator species

46. Male ©Photo by Bas de Bruijn Female ©Photo by Tom Grey Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Mergini (Sea Ducks) • Field Marks: • Large with shaggy double-pointed crest at rear of head • Long, thin, narrow red bill with black tip • White patch on secondaries • Sex: • Females have grayish-brown body with brown head and neck blending into whitish chin, throat, breast, and belly • Males in alternate plumage have iridescent greenish-black head, white collar, reddish-brown breast speckled black, black back, and gray sides • Habitat: Coastal bays and estuaries. • Life History: • Primarily occurs in CA in winter

47. Male ©Photo by Peter LaTourrette Pair ©Photo by Bob Steele Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Mergini (Sea Ducks) • Field Marks: • Smallest Merganser • Long, thin, narrow bill • Sex: • Females dark gray overall with a bushy, grayish-brown crest; dark orange bill • Males have a white, fan-shaped crest bordered by black, black face, neck, and back, white underparts, and buffy sides with black and white vertical stripes; dark bill • Habitat: • Freshwater and brackish bays, estuaries, and ponds • Life History: • Occurs in CA primarily in winter • Taxonomically intermediate between Goldeneyes and Mergansers • Only Merganser breeding exclusively in North America

48. Oxyurini: Stiff-tailed Ducks • Field Marks: • Bill strongly depressed and lamellate • Legs set very far back on body • Small size • Long, stiff, often vertically pointing rectrices • No metallic speculum on secondaries • Sex: Dimorphic • Life History: • Primarily eat vegetation by diving • Use tail as a rudder underwater • Distribution: • 2 species occur in North America

49. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis • Order: Anseriformes Subfamily: Anatinae • Family: Anatidae Tribe: Oxyurini (Stiff-tailed Ducks) • Field Marks: • Small and stocky with thick neck • Stiff, pointed, dark-brownish, fan-shaped tail, often held upright • Uniformly blackish-brown wings • Sex: • Females have dark gray bill, white cheek patches crossed by distinct dark stripe, blackish-brown cap, dark brown body with whitish abdomen • Males in alternate plumage have sky-blue bill, white cheeks, glossy black cap and nape, chestnut body with whitish abdomen • Habitat: Fresh and brackish marshes, bays, and estuaries • Life History: • Occurs year-round in parts of CA • Female lays largest eggs relative to body size of any waterfowl

50. Male Female ©Photos by Peter LaTourrette Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis • During display, males make a muffled popping sound • by beating bill against inflated neck: • jif jif jif jif ji ji ji ji jijijijijijwirrrrr