Ducks, Geese and Swans
Order: Anseriformes. Family: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. There are 131 species worldwide and 33 species which occur in Iran.
- Mute Swan Cygnus olor
- Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus
- Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
- Bean Goose Anser fabalis
- Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
- Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus
- Greylag Goose Anser anser
- Red-breasted Goose Branta ruficollis
- Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea
- Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
- Cotton Pygmy-goose Nettapus coromandelianus
- Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
- Falcated Duck Anas falcata
- Gadwall Anas strepera
- Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
- Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
- Northern Pintail Anas acuta
- Garganey Anas querquedula
- Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
- Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris
- Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
- Common Pochard Aythya ferina
- Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca
- Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
- Greater Scaup Aythya marila
- Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
- Black Scoter Melanitta nigra
- White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca
- Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
- Smew Mergellus albellus
- Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
- Common Merganser Mergus merganser
- White-headed Duck Oxyura leucocephala
Read more about this topic: List Of Birds Of Iran
Famous quotes containing the words geese and/or swans:
“As it grew darker, I was startled by the honking of geese flying low over the woods, like weary travellers getting in late from Southern lakes, and indulging at last in unrestrained complaint and mutual consolation. Standing at my door, I could hear the rush of their wings; when, driving toward my house, they suddenly spied my light, and with hushed clamor wheeled and settled in the pond. So I came in, and shut the door, and passed my first spring night in the woods.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Holland is a dream, Monsieur, a dream of gold and smoke—smokier by day, more gilded by night. And night and day that dream is peopled with Lohengrins like these, dreamily riding their black bicycles with high handle-bars, funereal swans constantly drifting throughout the whole country, around the seas, along the canals.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)