With many ducks and geese migrating back to Connecticut this month, Connecticut Audubon Society hosted a free online program about Connecticut’s waterfowl on the evening of March 22.

The event was led by Conservation and Education Coordinator Joe Attwater, who works at the Audubon’s Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center in Old Lyme. He highlighted the diverse species of waterfowl that are found in Connecticut, as well as their biggest threats.

Attwater began his presentation with an interactive bird identification quiz. He played an unusual bird sound and asked people to put their answers in the chat. With attendees stumped, he revealed the vocalization was from a male sea duck called the Common Eider.

“They tend to spend a lot of time on the open ocean, further from the coast, so it’s unlikely you’ll hear that very strange sound … It’s a good example of how weird bird vocalizations can be,” Attwater said playfully.

He shared that there are 174 species of waterfowl worldwide with 46 regularly recorded in the United States.

Waterfowl, as well as game birds, were present during the Mesozoic era. Since then, waterfowl have been found in almost every aquatic habitat except the deep ocean, and they have adapted to swim both on and under the water.

“They are a pretty ancient group of birds,” Attwater said.

One of the most well-known types of waterfowl today is the mallard duck. They are native to the United States and have been introduced to other countries, including New Zealand. They can be found in the wild and have also been domesticated.

He reported that the smallest waterfowl in the world is the African Pygmy Goose, ranging 10 to 12 inches long, and the largest waterfowl is the Trumpeter Swan, which can be 4 ½ to 5 ½ feet long with an 8-foot wingspan.

For the latter, Attwater said, “They are found throughout pockets of the Midwest United States. They are a rare visitor in Connecticut.”

Migratory Birds

Along the coast in Connecticut, most waterfowl come from much further north.

“Most North American waterfowl species are migratory to some degree. They are either partial migrants or complete migrants. Many of these birds, many of the familiar waterfowl here in Connecticut, can mostly be found here in winter then they breed much further north,” Attwater said.

This is so because waterfowl’s seasonal movements are dependent upon the food and water ability.

“Many of these birds make what’s called a ‘molt migration’ where they may migrate to a location first, molt — and in some cases with lots of waterfowl, they molt all of their feathers and become flightless — and then they move to a second location for the winter,” Attwater explained.

It is rare when waterfowl stay in Connecticut for the winter, but some do, including the Pink-Footed Goose.

Family Dynamics

According to Attwater, most waterfowl are monogamous and some even pair bond for life.

“Of course, with any family bird there are exceptions to the rules. In some cases, like [with the] Black-Headed Duck, there are species of waterfowl who are intraspecific brood parasitism … they do not raise their own chicks. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and they require those other birds to raise them,” Attwater said.

Waterfowl usually nest on the ground, but some species do choose to nest in tree cavities, burrows, and stick nests in trees.

Two examples of cavity nesting birds that Attwater mentioned are the Hooded Merganser, who are found year-round in Connecticut, and Buffleheads, who are seen only in the state during the winter.

He added that waterfowl usually lay four to 13 eggs, depending on the species, and the females incubate the eggs while the male brings food. Since chicks are precocial, they can move independently soon after birth.

“Some species of waterfowl have what’s called a ‘creche,’” Attwater said. “What that means is one female takes care of multiple broods of chicks … sometimes it’s an older female with a lot of experience.”

He went on to explain how waterfowl in North America can be organized into three subfamilies: Dendrocygninae — whistling ducks, Anserinae — swans and geese, and Anatinae — true ducks.

“We have 45 species recorded here in Connecticut,” Attwater said.

There are two types of whistling ducks, three types of swans, nine types of geese, and 31 types of ducks. Of those ducks, there are 11 species of dabbling ducks, such as the Green-Winged Teal, Northern Pintail Northern Shoveler, and Wood Duck; and 20 of diving ducks, such as the Common Goldeneye, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Red-Breasted Merganser, and Common Merganser.

For nearly every waterfowl species Attwater discussed, he played their vocalizations and shared how to differentiate between the males and females.

Threats, Conservation

Out of the 45 species of waterfowl found in Connecticut, 40 are of conservation concern.

According to Attwater, habitat loss and degradation are the greatest threats to waterfowl. Over-hunting from people and the introduction of new predators are also factors in the demise of some of these birds.

He told how the Labrador Duck from Connecticut went extinct in 1875, likely due to a combination of these detrimental factors.

If people would like to learn more about waterfowl, Attwater recommends they read Waterfowl of Eastern North America by Chris Earley, North American Waterfowl Guide by the National Audubon Society, The Search for the Pink-Headed Duck by Rory Nugent, and a children’s book called A New Duck by Pamela Hickman and Heather Collins.

Additionally, he suggests people go online to find “great resources” by visiting Ducks Unlimited at ducks.org, United States Fish & Wildlife (USFW) Waterfowl Identification, and CT Migratory Bird Conservation Stamp.

Before ending the presentation with a question-and-answer portion for attendees, Attwater also noted that the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center has many upcoming events, including its Spring Bird Walks on April 1, 8, and 29.

“One of the birds I am most looking forward to seeing over the next month or so is the Louisiana Waterthrush — one of our earlier warbler species to make it back to the state,” he said.

Newtown Waterfowl

Newtown has a variety of waterfowl that enjoy the lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams in town.

Newtown Animal Control Officer Carolee Mason told The Newtown Bee on March 29, “There are beautiful swans on Lake Zoar.”

Since people jet ski on the lake, she emphasized that people need to be mindful of the waterfowl there and coexist with them responsibly.

Mason shared that Newtown also has a lot of Canadian geese, especially at Ram’s Pasture. Drivers should be careful in the area of Ram’s Pasture as the geese sometimes go into the road unknowingly.

“The Canadian Geese get ‘angel wings,’ too. It’s a condition that they get from people feeding them bread,” she said.

Angel Wing Syndrome occurs when waterfowl have a nutritional deficiency in vitamins and minerals combined with a high level of carbohydrates and sugars. It results in their wing joints growing outwards and it negatively impacts their ability to fly.

If people see waterfowl who are injured or appear sick they can contact Newtown Animal Control at 203-426-6900.

“We have resources and can help,” Mason said.

She emphasized that people should be aware, too, that springtime means animals, including waterfowl, are having their babies.

In addition to becoming supporters of the Connecticut Audubon Society, residents who are interested in learning more about waterfowl can join the Western Connecticut Bird Club, which offers field trips, bird walks, and lectures.

Be sure to keep your eyes and ears open to the many waterfowl in our state who have been here all year long or who are now returning to the area.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.