Mute Swan

David Albeck's Photos of Ducks, Geese, & Swans (Family 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. I've organized the page into sub-families, though these are somewhat controversial.

Subfamily Index

Dabbling ducks and teals. Some authorities include the diving ducks in the same subfamily.
All anatins have sexually dimorphic plumage.

Genus Anas

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

Mallard hen
Anas platyrhynchos

Cape Cod

Mallard hen
Anas platyrhynchos

Eagle Encounter

Mallard hen
Anas platyrhynchos

Mostly Ducks

Mallard hen
Anas platyrhynchos

Charles River

Mallard (female)
Anas platyrhynchos

more winter birds

mallard hen
Anas platyrhynchos

scaups & ringnecks

Mallard drake
Anas platyrhynchos

Mostly Ducks

Mallard drake
Anas platyrhynchos

Mostly Ducks

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

Black Duck
Anas rubripes

local ducks

Black Duck
Anas rubripes

river fowl

Hybrid
Black Duck X Mallard

Charles River

Two living species: Wood ducks and Mandarin ducks.

Wood Duck hen
Aix sponsa

wood ducks

A genus split out from Anas, containing the Shovelers and their relatives, including some teals.

Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata

Merritt Island

Blue-Winged Teal
Spatula discors

Merritt Island

Blue-Winged Teal
Spatula discors

Merritt Island

Blue-Winged Teal
Spatula discors

Merritt Island

Blue-Winged Teal
Spatula discors

Merritt Island

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.

Genus Anser

"Grey geese", the most common type of goose in Europe; also present (though uncommon) in North America. Most domestic geese are descended from these.

Greater White-Fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
(ssp. flavirostris)

Charles River

Greater White-Fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
(ssp. flavirostris)

Charles River

"Black geese", the dominant genus of geese in North America.

Here in the Northeastern U.S., the vast majority of wild geese you'll see are Canada Geese. The almost-identical Cackling Goose is rare in the East. Brent Geese are only found in winter near the ocean.

Brant Geese, Branta bernicla

Cape Cod

Nene, Branta sandvicensis

Hawaiian Garden

Canada goose
Branta canadensis

Eagle Encounter

Canada goose
Branta canadensis

Mostly Ducks

Canada geese
Branta canadensis

local ducks

Canada Goose
Branta canadensis

Mt Feake

Canada Goose
Branta canadensis

Birds & Motion

Canada Goose
Branta canadensis

Birds & Motion

Gosling
Branta canadensis

Local Pond

Goslings
Branta canadensis

Franklin Park Zoo

gosling
Branta canadensis

Chandler Pond

Swans: large, very long-necked birds with webbed feet and flattened bills for filter feeding. Most adult swans are pure white; to tell species apart you have to look very closely at their bills, or listen to their voices.

Whooping Swan
Cygnus cygnus

Skagavegur

Mute Swan (juvenile)
Cygnus olor

winter birds

Mute Swan
Cygnus olor

Mostly Ducks

Mute Swan
Cygnus olor

Swans

Mute Swan
Cygnus olor

Swifts & Swans

Mute Swan
Cygnus olor

(no gallery)

Mute Swan
Cygnus olor

(no gallery)

Black-necked Swan
Cygnus melancoryphus

Hawaiian Garden

Subfamily Aythyinae

"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

Subfamily Merginae

"Sea ducks": mergansers and close relatives. Carnivorous (often piscivorous) diving ducks.

Genus Bucephala

Goldeneyes and buffleheads. They nest in tree cavities, often in nests created by woodpeckers.

female Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola

Plum Island

Genus Lophodytes

A genus of mergansers, closely related to genus Mergus

Hooded Merganser (female)
Lophodytes cucullatus

Charles River

Hooded Merganser (male)
Lophodytes cucullatus

Charles River

Hooded Merganser (male)
Lophodytes cucullatus

Charles River

Hooded Merganser (males)
Lophodytes cucullatus

Mostly Ducks

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

Genus Mergus

The protypical mergansers.

Red-Breasted Merganser (female)
Mergus serrator

local ducks

Common Merganser (male)
Mergus merganser

mergansers

Common Merganser (male)
Mergus merganser

mergansers

Eiders (Genus Somateria)

Large sea ducks with large beaks. Males have colorful breeding plumage; females are fairly drab. Prized for their down, which makes the lightest, fluffiest jackets and pillows.

Common Eider (male)
Somateria mollissima

Cape Cod

Common Eider (female)
Somateria mollissima

Skagastrund

Stiff-tailed ducks etc. A somewhat controversial group with unclear relationships to other subfamilies.

Maccoa Duck
Oxyura maccoa
male

Franklin Park Zoo

Maccoa Duck
Oxyura maccoa
female

Franklin Park Zoo

Ruddy Duck, O. jamaicensis

Chandler Pond