Ducks, Geese and Swans

This sumptuous two-tome offering is a fantastic addition to the Oxford Bird Families of the World series. Editor Janet Kear was involved with the acclaimed Wildfowl (Helm) in 1985 and it is a great shame that she did not see the end result of her hard work on its natural successor, as sadly she died in late 2004.

Volume 1 contains an introduction and chapters entitled ‘Taxonomy and systematics’, ‘Feeding ecology’, ‘Ecology of social behaviour’, ‘Breeding strategies and biology’, ‘Movements and migrations’, ‘Population dynamics’ and ‘Conservation and management’. These cover the first 171 pages and are followed with the 30 colour plates by Mark Hulme, featuring some excellent large paintings of each species – generally between four and eight species per plate – and depicting the male and female where necessary. Rather oddly, a chick of one of the featured species is shown on each plate. One area where the new title lags behind Wildfowl is in the shortage of pictures of juvenile, immature and eclipse plumages. Only a few immatures or juveniles are included, for example Ross’s Goose and the heads of Bar-headed Goose and African Comb Duck. Also, flight images are virtually absent.

The first volume is completed with the beginning of the species accounts, which are listed in systematic order. Each family has a general introduction and section on taxonomy with, where appropriate, a grid map showing its species diversity across the world. Some of the taxonomy appears a little unorthodox with, for example, Marbled Teal opening the species accounts in the section entitled ‘The pochards and scaup (diving ducks)’. Later in that section, the declaration of Pink-headed Duck as “extinct” may prove a little premature, given the recent well-publicised report of the species in Myanmar. As for other possible glitches, Figure 9.28 on page 622 is captioned as “A pochard diving” but looks suspiciously like a female Goldeneye. However, some errors are bound to occur in a work of this size.

The species accounts begin with a rather controversial inclusion, the screamers of South America. Each account takes between about three and five pages and opens with details of when and by whom the species was first described, followed by a brief explanation of the meaning of the scientific name, a list of alternative names in English and other languages, and details of any subspecies.

In terms of taxonomy, species such as Common and Green-winged Teal are split, but others, like the Bean, Canada and Brent Geese, are left lumped. Treatment of the races of Canada Goose in that species’ account is given additional space and maps, and the account for this species alone stretches to 10 pages, while 20 maps are included.

Each species account includes a detailed ‘Description’ section giving lengthy accounts of adult, immature, juvenile, duckling and moult plumages, followed by a similarly thorough section on measurements and weights, including variation between races, sexes, locations and times of the year where appropriate. Other areas covered in each species account are field characters, voice, range and status, habitat and general habits, displays and behaviour, breeding and life cycle and conservation and threats. There is a black-and-white distribution map for each species. The bulk of the second volume comprises the final 300 pages of species accounts and concludes with a glossary and a mammoth list of references.

First published in Birdwatch 162: 49 (December 2005). To order a copy of Ducks, Geese and Swans, please click here.

Tech spec

• Ducks, Geese and Swans edited by Janet Kear and illustrated by Mark Hulme (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2005)
• Volume 1. General chapters and species accounts (Anhima to Salvadorina). 446 pages, 30 colour plates, many black-and-white maps and illustrations. ISBN 0198610084
• >Volume 2. Species accounts (Cairina to Mergus). 464 pages, many black-and-white maps and illustrations. ISBN 0198610092
• Hbk, £180