Most of the birds in this section are members of the order Anseriformes
which has three extant families:
- Anatidae which includes over 140 species of ducks, geese, and swans.
- Anseranatidae includes the Magpie Goose
- Anhimidae which includes the three species of Screamers
All species live an aquatic existence and have partially
to fully-webbed feet.
Another common feature is the internal shape of the bill and how
the tongue is shaped to suck in water at the tip and expel it at
the sides and rear, trapping small particles for eating.
Some of the species in this family have evolved away from this type of
feeding but still have the vestiges of this ability.