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Long-tailed Ducks Bills -
page 5 of 5 |
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Long-tailed Ducks, a diving duck, are
feeding on an abundance of Zebra Mussels at Frenchman's Bay in
Pickering near Toronto. After diving they surface with clumps of
mussels in their bills, which they manipulate until swallowing
everything whole. |
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Long-tailed Ducks have chisel-shaped
bills, curving up at the tip. Bill shape is an important physical
character that enables them to grab crustaceans, mollusks, clams and
mussels, and their bills are small enough to take smaller prey. They
were close enough to see the serrations on the bills, another
important adaptation. Frenchman's Bay on 2 March 2016. |
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Presumably sharp
teeth-like serrations enable them to grab, hold and manipulate
smooth-shelled crustaceans. |
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Links |
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Page 1 Male
Long-tailed Ducks |
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Page 2
Female
Long-tailed Ducks |
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Page 3
Male and female
Long-tailed Ducks |
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Page 4
Variation in Long-tailed Ducks |
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Page 6
More Long-tailed
Ducks |
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