Anatidae

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Read Next

animal. Amphibian. Frog. Anura. Ranidae. Frog in grass.

Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World

Spider monkey swinging in a tree. (primate, jungle animal)

Why Do Animals Have Tails?

Hungry Pelican waiting to be fed, beak open, Australia

Why Don’t Birds Have Teeth?

Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus) in mid-flight.

11 Questions About Birds Answered

Common, or southern, cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).

8 Birds That Can’t Fly

Discover

Turtle, tortoise, reptile. Uses assets 88582 & 89606

What’s the Difference Between a Turtle and a Tortoise?

An ancient egyptian hieroglyphic painted carving showing the falcon headed god Horus seated on a throne and holding a golden fly whisk. Before him are the Pharoah Seti and the goddess Isis. Interior wall of the temple to Osiris at Abydos, Egypt.

11 Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.

Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement

Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”

The starting line-up at the first ever Indianapolis 500 motor race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, 1911.

The First Indy 500: A Spectacular Start in 1911

Baseball laying in the grass. Homepage blog 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics

10 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time

Poker game. Card game. Royal Flush in poker. Hearts suit gambling

Poker Hands Ranked

Anatidae

bird family

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Related Topics:: duck; goose; wildfowl; Anatinae; Anseranatinae

See all related content

Anatidae, bird family that includes ducks, geese, and swans and constitutes the suborder Anseres—by far the larger part of the order Anseriformes.

Classification

A widely accepted system of classification divides the Anatidae into 3 subfamilies and 8 to 12 tribes, as follows:

Family Anatidae
- Subfamily Anseranatinae
  - Tribe Anseranatini (magpie goose)
- Subfamily Anserinae
  - Tribe Dendrocygnini (whistling duck or tree duck)
  - Tribe Anserini (goose; swan)
  - Tribe Stictonettini (proposed) (freckled duck)
- Subfamily Anatinae
  - Tribe Tadornini (sheldgoose and shelduck)
  - Tribe Anatini (dabbling duck)
  - Tribe Cairinini (perching duck)
  - Tribe Aythyini (pochard)
  - Tribe Somateriini
  - Tribe Mergini (diving duck)
  - Tribe Oxyurini (stifftail)

Alternate classifications

Some authorities include the eiders (Somateriini) in the Mergini, some separate a tribe Tachyerini (steamer duck) from the Tadornini, and some recognize a tribe Merganettini (torrent duck) aside from the Anatini. The Aythyini, Somateriini, Mergini, and (from one standpoint) the Oxyurini (pochard, diving duck, and stifftail) are often considered together in popular usage.

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Britannica Quiz

Animal Group Names

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.