Swimming birds
Loon
Although they all look somewhat similar, not all swimming birds even belong to the same family. Swans, geese and ducks (dabbling and diving) belong to Family Anatidae, but loons, grebes, coots, and gulls are all from other families. Yet, somewhat similar environments have produced somewhat similar birds.
loons wistfully sounding residents of the Lake
grebes small, easily missed diver with lobed toes
swans elegant, but only migratory visitors
geese beautiful, but obnoxious
mallards, a dabbling duck a most common dabbler
other dabbling ducks surface feeders
diving ducks fish in the depths
coots small, lobed-toed swimmers
gulls aggressive and garrulous