Description
Using 36 full-color and more than 200 line illustrations, one of Canada’s most renowned ornithologists presents to sportsmen and professional conservationists an easy-to-understand-and-to-use look at all of the ducks, geese and swans found in the US and Canada. Beginning with the family tree, he shows clearly the size, shape and makeup of each of the various species. For the technician there’s a brief updated report on scientific nomenclature. One of the most confusing aspects of identification is touched upon next with a general discussion about moults and plumages, followed by a step-by-step process for accurately determining which duck, geese, or swan might be at hand. Mating and nesting habits, migration routes and flyways, and conservation are covered next. The bulk of these 476 pages is devoted to reporting every detail about each of 54 species found everywhere. Each kind appears alphabetically by colloquial name. In each case the scientific name is given and explained and variations of the colloquial name are given. Full descriptions of adult and juvenile, male and female, followed by discussions of field marks on the water and in flight and a comprehensive life story round out the characteristics for each kind of duck, geese, and swan.
