Waterfowl

Information about Waterfowl:

Waterfowl are birds that, as the name implies, spend much of their time in and around water. These birds normally live near water such as ponds, lakes, coastal areas, streams or marshes. They move with the seasons flying south in the winter and north in the summer. Many species are from the order Anseriformes, which has several members of the family Anatidae, such as includes ducks, geese, and swans. Many of these birds are hunted for sport, and are called “wildfowl.”

There often is an uneasy alliance between environmentalist who wish to preserve and protect the species and the people who enjoying hunt birds for sport. Oftentimes, the two groups are able to work together to preserve land where these birds inhabit that might otherwise be developed. The smallest waterfowl on earth is the Cotton Pygmy Goose and the largest the swan. Most waterfowl will migrate across the continent along four major routes – the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific Flyways.