Wildfowl are frequently referred to as Ornamental ducks, geese and swans. There are 147 species, all members of the avian family Anatidae. In the wild, these birds populate the world, apart from Antarctica. Some individual species such as the Mallard are very widely distributed, others such as Laysan Teal occupy very small areas. There are no true geese in the Southern Hemisphere.
Information leaflet on keeping wildfowl geese. Note that you will need Adobe's Acrobat Reader to view this file. If you do not have it installed on your machine, you can download it from here.
A small pond and enclosure is suitable for a few birds but where a larger pond or lake is available there is greater scope for the establishment of a much wider variety of species. The birds must be enclosed and protected from predators and there are several methods of ensuring their safety. Wheat and a compound pellet are appropriate food for most species Where the pond and the area of the enclosure together with the wildfowl are reasonably balanced, it is perfectly feasible to plant successfully to create a feature which is attractive to the eye and enhances the beauty of the residents.
The BWA Information Leaflets available online give a brief introduction to the requirements for keeping waterfowl and the BWA Bookshop stocks specialist books. If you would like to download a copy of these leaflets click here or see bwa leaflets etc. above.
Click on the images to find out more
Chiloe
Wigeon |
Cape Teal
|
Tufted
Duck |
Bar-Headed
Geese |