Waterfowl South Africa

Scientific classification of Wildfowl

5. Anatinae

Perching, diving, and dabbling ducks. The Anatinae are further divided into three groups:

There are 19 species of perching duck in 15 genera (though the similarities in some are now regarded as convergent, which suggests that a reassignment may be appropriate).

About 40 species of dabbling duck in 2 genera: the monotypic Marmaronetta (Marbled Duck) may instead be numbered among the pochards. The remaining 40-odd species are all part of the genus Anas, which includes wigeons, gadwalls, the true teals, pintails, mallards, and shovelers.

The 16 species of pochards or diving ducks in 3 genera: Netta (3 species), Aythya (12 species), and Rhodonessa (the recently extinct Pink-headed Duck of India). ]

The perching ducks are a small group of ducks in the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. The latter article should be referred to for an overview of this very large family.

The perching ducks, together with the dabbling and diving ducks  make up the sub-family Anatinae.

As the name indicates, most of this group walk well and perch readily on branches and the like.

There are some taxonomic problems with this mainly southern group. It may currently be split into too many genera, and there are questions as to the coherence of the group as a whole. ]

1. Comb Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos
2. Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus
3. Blue Duck Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos
4. Torrent Duck Merganetta armata
5. Hartlaub’s Duck Pteronetta hartlaubi
6. Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata
7. White-winged Wood Duck Cairina scutulata
8. Wood Duck Aix sponsa
9. Mandarin Aix galericulata
10. Green Pygmy Goose Nettapus pulchellus
11. Cotton Pygmy Goose Nettapus coromandellanus
12. African Pygmy Goose Nettapus auritus
13. Salvadori’s Duck Salvadorina waigiuensis
14. Ringed Teal Callonetta leucophrys
15. Maned Duck Chenonetta jubata
16. Brazilian Duck Amazonetta brasiliensis

The dabbling ducks are a group of more than 40 species of ducks including some of the most familiar Northern Hemisphere species. They are in the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. The latter article should be referred to for an overview of this very large family.

This group of ducks is so named because its members feed mainly on vegetable matter by upending on the water surface, or grazing, and do not dive. These are gregarious ducks of freshwater or estuaries. These birds are strong fliers and northern species are highly migratory. They walk well on land, and some species feed terrestrially.

The dabbling ducks, together with the Diving ducks and Perching ducks make up the sub-family Anatinae.

All but one of the dabbling ducks are in the genus Anas. The exception is the Marbled duck Marmaronetta angustirostris, which is often alternatively classed as a pochard.

The Anas species are:

1. African Black Duck Anas sparsa
2. Wigeon Anas penelope
3. American Wigeon Anas americana
4. Chiloe Wigeon Anas sibilatrix
5. Falcated Duck Anas falcata
6. Gadwall Anas strepera
7. Baikal Teal Anas formosa
8. Common Teal Anas crecca
9. Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis
10. Speckled Teal Anas flavirostris
11. Cape Teal Anas capensis
12. Madagascar Teal Anas bernieri
13. Grey Teal Anas gibberifrons
14. Chestnut Teal Anas castanea
15. Brown Teal Anas aucklandica
16. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
17. Hawaiian Duck Anas wyvilliana
18. Laysan Duck Anas laysanensis
19. Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula
20. American Black Duck Anas rubripes
21. Meller’s Duck Anas melleri
22. Yellow-billed Duck Anas undulata
23. Pacific Black Duck Anas superciliosa
24. Spotbill Anas poecilorhyncha
25. Philippine Duck Anas luzonica
26. Bronze-winged Duck Anas specularis
27. Northern Pintail Anas acuta
28. Yellow-billed Pintail Anas georgica
29. White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis
30. Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha
31. Silver Teal Anas versicolor
32. Hottentot Teal Anas hottentota
33. Garganey Anas querquedula
34. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
35. Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
36. Red Shoveler Anas platalea
37. Cape Shoveler Anas smithii
38. Australasian Shoveler Anas rhynchotis
39. Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata

The 16 species of diving duck, also known as pochards, make up a sub-group of the biological subfamily Anatinae, which itself is part of the diverse and very large duck, goose and swan family, Anatidae. The latter article should be referred to for an overview of this very large family of birds.

Although the group is cosmopolitan, most members are native to the northern hemisphere, and it includes several of the most familiar northern hemisphere ducks.

This group of ducks is so named because its members feed mainly by diving, although in fact the Netta species are reluctant to dive, and feed more like dabbling ducks.

These are gregarious ducks, mainly found on fresh water or on estuaries, though the Greater Scaup becomes marine during the northern winter. They are strong fliers; their broad, blunt-tipped wings require faster wing-beats than those of many ducks and they take off with some difficulty. Northern species tend to be highly migratory; southern species do not migrate but the Hardhead travels long distances on an irregular basis in response to rainfall. Diving ducks do not walk as well on land as the dabbling ducks.

The diving ducks, together with the dabbling ducks and perching ducks make up the sub-family Anatinae.

The Marbled Duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) is difficult to classify, but is often also placed in the diving duck group.

1. Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris
2. Pink-headed Duck Rhodonessa caryophyllacea (extinct)
3. Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina
4. Southern Pochard Netta erythrophthalma
5. Rosybill Netta peposaca
6. Canvasback Aythya valisineria
7. Pochard Aythya ferina
8. Redhead Aythya americana
9. Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
10. Hardhead Aythya australis
11. Baer’s Pochard Aythya baeri
12. Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca
13. Madagascar Pochard Aythya innotata
14. New Zealand Scaup Aythya novaeseelandiae
15. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
16. Greater Scaup Aythya marila
17. Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis