| What is the order and family name of all water fowl? | Anseriformes and anatidae |
| Water fowl features | • Sieve bill
• 3 webbed toes
• Strong sexual dimorphism – Except geese and swans
• Tegmen on primary flight feather |
| What are the 4 reasons for variation in duck plumage? | Age, sex, seasonal, and geographical |
| Swan characteristics | • Very large
• All white plumage
• No sexual dimorphism |
| Mute swan characteristics | • Holds neck in an S- shape
• Bill = pinky-orange with black knob at base
• Doesn’t migrate – Nests in BC + aggressive to native swans |
| Which of the BC swans is non-native? | Mute swan |
| Trumpeter swan characteristics | • Winters in BC - Some nest in northern BC
– Once populations low, now common
• Neck bends at base
• Bill = black + Upper margin forms a straight slope
• Largest NA waterfowl |
| Tundra swan characteristics | • Nests in Arctic – Few winter in BC
• Holds neck straight
• Bill = Black with yellow patch at base
• Absent in ~20% of birds
– Upper margin curved |
| Geese characteristics | • Smaller than swans, larger than ducks
• Longer necks than ducks
• Feet set farther forward than ducks – Spend lots of time on land
• No sexual dimorphism
• Bill is thick at base |
| Canada goose characteristics | • Widespread
• Geese were introduced – Mainly non-migratory
• Fall to spring – migratory geese also here
– Only goose to breed in BC
• Black head with white chin strap
• Urban pests – Control measures include egg addling |
| Cackling goose characteristics | • Nests on tundra
• Smaller version of Canada Goose
– Cackling: 55-75 cm
– Canada: 76-110 cm
• Shorter bill |
| Brant characteristics | • Nest in Arctic – Stops here on migration + common in March around Parksville
• About 20,000 stopover
• Dark goose
• Short black neck with white collar
• Previously overhunted |
| Greater white-fronted goose | • Some winter on south BC coast ,others migrate through
• Brown body
• Barring on belly
• Pink-orange bill - white forehead and face
• White under tail
• Orange legs |
| Snow goose | • Breeds in Arctic. Some winter in BC, others migrate through
• Two morphs
– Light phase - white
– Dark phase (blue) - rare in BC
• Pink bill
• Black wingtips in flight
• Grinning patch – Black “lips” |
| Ross' goose characteristics | • Rare in BC – Some fly through on migration
• Smaller version of Snow Goose
– Ross’: 57-64 cm
– Snow: 69-83 cm
• Lacks grinning patch
• Shorter neck and bill than Snow Goose |
