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Aquatic birds obtain most or all of
their food from the water. All aquatic birds that live
in saltwater environments have salt glands, which enable
them to drink seawater and excrete the excess salt.
Albatross, shearwaters, storm petrels, and diving petrels
are considered the most exclusively marine of all birds.
These birds spend much of their time over the open ocean,
well away from land.
Many other birds have aquatic lifestyles
but live closer to land. Among these are penguins, which
live in the southernmost oceans near the Antarctic.
Some species of penguins spend most of their lives in
the water, coming on land only to reproduce and molt.
Grebes and divers, or loons, are found on or near lakes.
Grebes are unusual among birds because they make their
nests on the water, using floating plant materials that
they hide among reeds. Pelicans, known for their long
bills and huge throat pouches, often switch between
salt water and fresh water habitats during the year.
Gulls are generalists among the aquatic birds, feeding
largely by scavenging over open water, along shores,
or even inland areas. Waterfowl, a group that includes
ducks, geese, and swans, often breed on freshwater lakes
and marshes, although they sometimes make their homes
in marine habitats.
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Aquatic Birds |
