Dabbling duck

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:

• African Black Duck[?] Anas sparsa
• Wigeon Anas penelope
• American Wigeon Anas americana
• Chiloe Wigeon[?] Anas sibilatrix
• Falcated Duck[?] Anas falcata
• Gadwall Anas strepera
• Baikal Teal[?] Anas formosa
• Common Teal Anas carolinensis
• Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
• Speckled Teal[?] Anas flavirostris
• Cape Teal[?] Anas capensis
• Madagascar Teal[?] Anas bernieri
• Grey Teal[?] Anas gibberifrons
• Chestnut Teal[?] Anas castanea
• Brown Teal[?] Anas aucklandica
• Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
• Hawaiian Duck[?] Anas wyvilliana
• Laysan Duck[?] Anas laysanensis
• Mottled Duck[?] Anas fulvigula
• American Black Duck Anas rubripes
• Meller's Duck[?] Anas melleri
• Yellow-billed Duck[?] Anas undulata
• Pacific Black Duck[?] Anas superciliosa
• Spotbill[?] Anas poecilorhyncha
• Philippine Duck[?] Anas luzonica
• Bronze-winged Duck[?] Anas specularis
• Northern Pintail Anas acuta
• Yellow-billed Pintail[?] Anas georgica
• White-cheeked Pintail[?] Anas bahamensis
• Red-billed Teal[?] Anas erythrorhyncha
• Silver Teal[?] Anas versicolor
• Hottentot Teal[?] Anas hottentota
• Garganey Anas querquedula
• Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
• Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
• Red Shoveler[?] Anas platalea
• Cape Shoveler[?] Anas smithii
• Australasian Shoveler[?] Anas rhynchotis
• Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata