Waterfowl make up one of the most striking and charismatic components of the fauna that inhabits wetlands. They have a higher plasticity than other animals, for example fish, however, some species do not exhibit adaptations to the aquatic environment and use these environments during one or several seasons of the year to spend part of their biological cycle, to nest and breed, or to change plumage. Other species have developed anatomical and physiological adaptations that allow them to optimally use this type of environment and thus depend on them almost completely to be able to develop their life cycle successfully.
If you want to keep getting to know the waterfowl, keep reading this article on our site and we'll tell you everything about them, from their types and features, right down to their names and examples.
Types of waterfowl
All birds, like other vertebrates, need water to live. But when we refer to waterfowl, we can say that they are species that make use of aquatic ecosystems throughout their lives or a stage of their life cycle.
These birds are varied in terms of their shape, size and adaptations to the aquatic environment. Among them, we find species that migrate, or that take advantage of these aquatic environments in search of food and areas to breed.
There is a classification for waterfowl according to their type and they are:
- Strict aquatics: the main characteristic of this group is the presence of certain anatomical and physiological adaptations such as a very dense plumage and in the waterproof in most cases thanks to the action of fats or powders that are produced by special glands (cormorants), or the poor blood supply of their legs (penguins), whose temperature remains below that of the rest of the body, to thus avoiding heat loss in contact with water.
- Non-strictly aquatic or semi-aquatic: although they do not present characteristic adaptations for life in aquatic environments like the others, species are grouped here that are associated with the vegetation that surrounds wetlands and bodies of water and need to be in their vicinity to develop part of their cycle or certain activities, such as nesting or feeding.
Characteristics of waterfowl
Waterfowl are vertebrate animals that depend, to some degree, on wetlands or bodies of water to complete part of their cycle biological, so the degree of dependence on these environments varies according to the species. These birds fulfill important ecological roles as consumers, providers of organic matter and as modifiers of the surrounding environment. On the other hand, wetlands serve as nesting sites where thousands of individuals can concentrate, shelter and as a source of food for waterfowl.
These species have characteristics that are unique to them, since they are adaptations to an environment where not all birds can access. Among these unique features are the interdigital membranes, which may have different degrees of development depending on the species and completely cover the toes (pelicans), just the base of it (ducks, geese, and gulls, for example) or develop into each individual toe (some grebes).
These species also have waterproof feathers as an adaptation to swimming, since many of them dive or dive to find their food. Others have very long fingers and nails that allow them to move through flooded areas and soft surfaces without sinking (jacanas). Species such as storks and herons have very long legs that allow them to search for food in shallow waters without getting their plumage wet. On the other hand, the development of the wings is also a key factor, since there are species whose wings are adapted as paddles for swimming, as well as their fusiform body, as in the case of penguins.
The shape of their beaks is also included among the most important features of waterfowl, as some species have beaks that allow them to feed in waterlogged or muddy areas. Shorebirds, for example, have long, thin beaks with which they wade through shallow areas, and other species, such as flamingos or ducks, have filter beaks.
The presence of one type or another of waterfowl in a wetland will depend on the degree of vegetation present, its seasonality, and its size and shape.
Waterfowl names and examples
Next, we will see some examples of waterfowl.
Marine waterfowl
They are a group of birds associated with the seas and their coasts where they seek their food and other resources. Their morphological adaptations allow them to swim, plunge and dive in search of their food, in addition, some species have specialized glands to eliminate excess s alt. It is a varied group that includes different species, from large birds, such as the royal albatross (Diomedea epomophora), with gular pouches such as the common pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), gannets or boobies, such as the red-footed booby (Sula sula), to medium and small species with smaller but powerful bills, such as the Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) and the European Storm-petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus).
Ducks and divers
Here are grouped species that are specialized in swimming and diving, for example ducks, such as the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), cormorants such as the Magellanic cormorant (Phalacrocorax magellanicus) and grebes such as the black-necked cormorant (Podiceps nigricollis), species that are also herbivorous or omnivorous divers
Wading Birds
In general, these birds are adapted to aquatic environments, but what sets them apart from other waterfowl is their ability to walk in water(wading), a technique they use to capture the fish that make up a substantial part of their diet. It does this thanks to the fact that they have long legs, neck and beak. Within this group we can name herons such as the gray heron (Ardea cinerea) and storks such as the American heron (Ciconia maguari), for example.
Waders
They are those that are adapted to a wide variety of aquatic environments, such as high mountain wetlands, sandy or rocky beaches, mangroves, among others. They are small or medium-sized birds with long legs, with wide and short beaks like the Little Plover (Charadrius dubius), or elongated and thin, like the Andean Avocet (Recurvirostra andina), to name a few.
Moorhens, coots, coots and the like
Most of these species use the vegetation present on the margins of lakes, ponds or other bodies of water is abundant where they can protecting oneself and looking for food They are adapted both for swimming, as in the case of the common coot (Fulica atra), and for walking along above of vegetation such as jacanas (Jacana jacana). Members of this group generally have bodies that allow them to move easily through dense vegetation.
Water Raptors and Kingfishers
This group is made up of species that are not strictly aquatic nor do they have adaptations for swimming, but through different techniques use aerial predation to capture their prey, which in most cases are fish. Examples of these birds are the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) and the giant kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata).
Other waterfowl
Like the previous group, these species do not present adaptations for life in aquatic environments, but are associated with the v egetation that surrounds bodies of water, and where they get their food from. The European Dipper (Cinclus cinclus), for example, is the only passerine (referring to the order Passeriformes) that is strictly aquatic, as it has dense, impermeable plumage and other physiological adaptations that allow it to submerge for several seconds using its wings and to maneuver under it.
