With over 140 species distributed throughout the world, very few other bird groups show the variety of size, shape and color as waterfowl: the ducks, geese, and swans of the world. However, despite the variations among the species, there are several adaptations that all waterfowl share. By far the most obvious are webbed feet and waterproof plumage. All waterfowl also share a similar bill structure although the size and shape of the bills can be dramatically different.

The size of waterfowl varies considerably – from the smallest Hottentot Teal of Southern Africa to the largest Trumpeter Swan of Alaska. Ducks, especially the teal, are the smallest of the waterfowl group; geese are larger; and the swans are the largest.

Waterfowl have a diet that varies as much as the birds themselves. Depending on the species, ducks can eat grass, seeds, aquatic invertebrates, and fish. Geese are typically land grazers, but they also feed in both fresh and salt water for aquatic plants. The swans feed primarily on aquatic vegetation.

The Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy collection of waterfowl focuses on species found within four core groups.These four core groups, which are the Swans, northern Geese, dabbling Ducks, and diving Ducks, are ideally suited to the aviaries and enclosures found at the Conservancy, and are generally compatible with each other. Outside the core groups, the Conservancy focuses on species that are threatened in the wild, or are of special educational or research value.

For more information on waterfowl:

• The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
• Waterfowl of Chenoa
• Goose.org
• USGS Waterfowl I.D. Source