Waterfowl Taxon Advisory Group

08/31/2026

One of the great challenges in protecting waterfowl in the wild is that many species are migratory - sometimes, crossing continents. It's not enough to have a protected patch of habitat for those species - they need patches of habitat to provide safe passage along their entire migratory route, and this can require international cooperation and coordination

08/28/2026

Congratulations to our friends at Franklin Park Zoo on this hatching success! Red-breasted geese are one of our TAG-managed species. They are the smallest - and most colorful - of the true geese, but are, unfortunately, one of the rarer species as well, meaning every hatch counts!

08/27/2026

Some exciting news from Madagascar, where conservationists work to save one of the world's rarest waterfowl species!

08/26/2026

Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)

When is a bird not a bird? When it's a crustacean, apparently!

08/25/2026

time! Many birds in zoos and aviaries require genetic testing to tell the differences between males and females. With waterfowl, however - even the s*xually monomorphic species in which males and females look alike - there is a relatively simple physical method which keepers can use too s*x birds. What is it called?

08/24/2026

Every duck is a work of art...

Ray Harris-Ching explained that he began painting scenes of birds moving through water around the mid-1970s: “The actual species painted doesn’t matter too much; what does interest me are the complex patterns made as the surface of the water is disturbed and broken.”

Although eider ducks are native to the northern coasts of Europe and North America, the artist’s work often features the wildlife of Australia and New Zealand, where he grew up. His paintings are noted for their exquisite detail, especially in the delicate feathers of his avian subjects. See this piece in person before "From to Sea to Shining Sea" closes this Sunday!

Raymond Harris-Ching (New Zealand, b. 1939), Eider Pair, 1995 – 1998. Oil on canvas. JKM Collection®, National Museum of Wildlife Art. © Raymond Harris-Ching.

08/21/2026

Check out the latest issue of our TAG newsletter, The Duck Pond - with this issue being primarily focused on our May 2026 husbandry workshop at Pinola Conservancy!

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08/20/2026

Congratulations to our friends and colleagues at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on their successful hatching of not one but TWO of our TAG managed species - the marbled teal and the swan goose!

The Denver Zoo Concervation Aliance welcomed four marbled teals and three swan goslings this year, contributing to conservation efforts for both species.

08/19/2026

Horned Screamer (Anhima cornuta)

One of the wildest-looking of waterfowl, this screamer is named for the long, spiny structure that protrudes from the forehead, loosely attached to the skull. The species is found in the wetlands of northern and central South America, where it feeds on aquatic plants. They are one of the largest waterfowl - nearly a meter tall and weighing 3-4 kilograms - and rarely fly (and when they do take flight, it is typically very brief)

08/18/2026

Time for ! Which two species of wild geese are believed to be the primary ancestors of domestic geese?