WATERFOWL and OTHER
FINE-FEATHERED FRIENDS
(continued...)
~Monterey Bay Brown
Pelican~
Pelicans are water birds, well known for the
pouch in their throat for carrying fish. The
Pelican is one of the largest living birds, with
a wing span of ten feet.
~Pink Backed
Pelican~
Pelicans live in tropical and temperate
waters.
~Australian
Pelican~
More lovely pelicans, just taking life easy!
~North American Wood
Duck~
The North American Wood Duck, also known as the
Carolina Duck, Swamp Duck, Squealer Duck and
Summer Duck, is well known in aviculture and in
the wild. Many of us simply refer to it as the
Woodie, but by any name, this duck is the most
ornamental of all North American species.
~Great Blue
Heron~
(juvenile)
The Geat Blue is the largest and also the most
widely distributed North American heron. In the
San Francisco Bay area, many are year-round
residents.
~Australian
Shelduck~
Also known as Chestnut-breasted Shelduck or
Mountain Shelduck. Found in freshwater and
brackish lakes in south-western and south-eastern
Tasmania.
~Snowy
Egret~
Our two
common egrets are the Great Egret and the Snowy
Egret. The Snowy Egret has a black bill and the
bright "golden slippers" visible in the picture above. The Great Egret is often seen standing motionless in shallow water waiting for fish or crustacians to come to it. While the Snowy Egret also does this at times, it is more likely to forage actively...the "disturb it so it will move" philosophy.
~Great
Egret~
This Great Egret has shown that his patience of
standing motionless in shallow water, waiting for some food to come along, has paid off. Here we
caught him just as he was eating his catch...a
pocket gopher!
~Snowy Egret Chicks~
And here we see what the BIG guys looked like as LITTLE fellers! They're just big balls of fluff!
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