Waterfowl

Waterfowl

Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans.

They are strong swimmers with medium to large bodies. They have historically been an important food source, and continue to be hunted as game, or raised as poultry for meat and eggs. The domestic duck is sometimes kept as a pet.

Some definitions of the term 'waterfowl' include the saltwater shorebirds or wadersFact|date=October 2007, gulls, pelicans, and herons, as well as seabirds such as the albatross, and even the penguinFact|date=October 2007, but generally 'fowl' refers to birds used by humans.Fact|date=October 2007

ee also

*UK
**Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
*USA
**Ducks Unlimited

References

* Madge and Burn, "Wildfowl" ISBN 0-7470-2201-1
* Taylor and van Perlo, "Rails" SBN 90-74345-20-4

External links

* [http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/ding/ Editorial cartoons] by conservationist Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • waterfowl — [wôt′ərfoul΄] n. pl. waterfowls or waterfowl a water bird; esp., any of a family (Anatidae, order Anseriformes) of birds consisting of ducks, geese, and swans …   English World dictionary

  • Waterfowl — Wa ter*fowl , n. Any bird that frequents the water, or lives about rivers, lakes, etc., or on or near the sea; an aquatic fowl; used also collectively. [1913 Webster] Note: Of aquatic fowls, some are waders, or furnished with long legs; others… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • waterfowl — c.1300, from WATER (Cf. water) (n.1) + FOWL (Cf. fowl). Cf. O.H.G. wazzarvogel, Du. watervogel …   Etymology dictionary

  • waterfowl — ► PLURAL NOUN ▪ ducks, geese, or other large aquatic birds …   English terms dictionary

  • waterfowl — UK [ˈwɔːtə(r)ˌfaʊl] / US [ˈwɔtərˌfaʊl] noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms waterfowl : singular waterfowl plural waterfowl formal a water bird …   English dictionary

  • waterfowl — /waw teuhr fowl , wot euhr /, n., pl. waterfowls, (esp. collectively) waterfowl. 1. a water bird, esp. a swimming bird. 2. such birds taken collectively, esp. the swans, geese, and ducks. [1250 1300; ME; c. G Wasservogel; see WATER, FOWL] * * *… …   Universalium

  • waterfowl — wa|ter|fowl [ˈwo:təfaul US ˈwo:tər , ˈwa: ] n plural waterfowl [U and C] a wild bird that swims and lives near water ▪ the varied waterfowl of North America …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • waterfowl — [[t]wɔ͟ːtə(r)faʊl[/t]] N COUNT (waterfowl is both the singular and the plural form.) Waterfowl are birds that swim in water, especially ducks, geese, and swans …   English dictionary

  • waterfowl — noun plural waterfowl (C, U) a bird that swims in water, such as a duck, goose 1 (1) etc …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • waterfowl — /ˈwɔtəfaʊl/ (say wawtuhfowl) noun (plural waterfowls, waterfowl) a waterbird, especially a swimming bird …  

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”