Anseriformes Infographic

Magpie Goose (https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/maggoo1/cur/introduction)

Anseriformes

Ducks, screamers, magpie geese, swans, and geese

Meet the Families

• Anatidae (ducks, geese, swans)
• 165 species
• Anhimidae (screamers)
• 3 species
• Anseranatidae (magpie goose)
• 1 species

Figure 1: Anatidae family tree (ducks, geese, and swans) based on 2 mitochondrial genes (Donne-Goussé et al., 2002)

Southern Screamer (https://www.123rf.com/photo_67146317_southern-screamer-chauna-torquata-single-bird-by-water-brazil.html)

Did you know?

Fact sheet

Unlike other birds, waterfowl (anseriformes) have corkscrew genitals instead of a cloaca (males have a corkscrew phallus while females have a corkscrewed vaginal canal) (Brennan et al., 2009)!

Habitat:

• Shallow waters such as lakes, rivers, bays, lagoons, ponds, swamps, and freshwater marshes
• Most need the water while some can survive mostly on land

Diet:

• Herbivores, except for diving ducks which feed on fish
• Diving, dabbling, and grazing are the three types of feeding

Life history:

• Days to hatch: 21-45
• Time as a nestling: several weeks to a whole year
• Total lifespan in the wild: up to 29 years

(Longevity Records: Life Spans of Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish, 2023)

Social/Breeding systems:

• Anatidae and Anhimidae are mostly monogamous with life-long pair bonds!
• Anseranatidae are mostly polygamous
• Mostly social with other waterfowl
• Variety of mating dances and defense positions

Id tips:

• Often found near water
• Palmate feet (toti-, semi-, and normal)
• Bigger bodies to conserve heat
• Medium-long necks
• Oil gland above tail

Local Colorado Species:

• Hooded Merganser
• Common Merganser
• Red-breasted Merganser
• Ruddy Duck
• Greater Scaup
• Lesser Scaup
• Bufflehead
• Common Goldeneye

• American Wigeon
• Northern Pintail
• Northern Shoveler
• Blue-winged Teal
• Cinnamon Teal
• Canvasback
• Readhead
• Ring-necked Duck

• Greater White-fronted Goose
• Snow Goose
• Ross's Goose
• Canada Goose (see left)
• Cackling Goose
• Wood Duck
• Mallard (see left)
• Gadwall
• Green-winged Teal

Quick facts:

• Baby ducks will imprint on the nearest living thing after they hatch
• 24% of Anatidae have population declines and 33% (1 species) of Anhimidae have population declines

• Some ducks have a unique eclipse molt
• Black-headed ducks use brood-parasitism instead of raising their young like many other Anseriformes
• Screamers can soar through the air (like a hawk)
• Trumpeter swans are the largest flying bird, sometimes weighing almost 40lbs!

Brennan, P. L. R., Clark, C. J., & Prum, R. O. (2009). Explosive eversion and functional morphology of the duck penis supports sexual conflict in waterfowl genitalia. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 277(1686), 1309–1314. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2009.2139 Carboneras, C., & Kirwan, G. M. (2020). Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata), version 1.0. Birds of the World. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.maggoo1.01species_shared.bow.project_name Donne-Goussé, C., Laudet, V., & Hänni, C. (2002). A molecular phylogeny of anseriformes based on mitochondrial DNA analysis. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 23(3), 339–356. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1055-7903(02)00019-2 ‌‌‌Gill, F., & Townsend Matthews, G. V. (2023). Anseriform | Britannica. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/anseriform#ref48956 Longevity Records: Life Spans of Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish. (2023). Demogr.mpg.de. https://www.demogr.mpg.de/longevityrecords/0303.htm Winkler, D. W., Billerman, S. M., & Lovette, I. J. (2020). Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl (Anatidae), version 1.0. Birds of the World. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.anatid1.01species_shared.bow.project_name ‌‌Winkler, D. W., Billerman, S. M., & Lovette, I. J. (2020). Screamers (Anhimidae), version 1.0. Birds of the World. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.anhimi1.01species_shared.bow.project_name ‌