The pelicans are large, long-winged, short-legged water-birds with enormous bill and large gular sac which is used as a dip-net to catch fish. There are three species in North America, the white pelican (_Pelecanus erythrorhynchus_) occurring over most of the United States, the brown pelican (_P. fuscus_) of the Gulf of Mexico, and the California brown pelican (_P. californicus_) of the Pacific coast.
An interesting member of this order is the famous frigate or man-of-war bird (_Fregata aquila_), with very long wings and tail and feet extraordinarily small. The frigates have the greatest command of wing of all the birds. They cannot dive and can scarcely swim or walk.
=The ducks, geese, and swans (Anseres).=--The familiar wild ducks, of which there are forty species in North American fresh and salt waters; the geese, of which there are sixteen species, and the three species of wild swans constitute the order Anseres. The bill in these birds is more or less flattened and is also lamellate, i.e. furnished along each cutting-edge with a regular series of tooth-like processes; the feet are webbed, and the body is heavy and flattened beneath. Of the fresh-water or inland ducks, the more familiar are the mallard (_Anas boschas_), a large duck with head (male) and upper neck rich glossy green; the blue-winged teal (_Querquedula discors_) and green-winged teal (_Nettion carolinense_); the shoveller (_Spatula clypeata_) with spoon-shaped bill; the beautiful crested wood-duck (_Aix sponsa_); the expert diver, the plump little ruddy duck (_Erismatura rubida_), and others. Of the coastwise ducks, the canvas-back (_Aythya vallisneria_) is famous because of its fine flavor, while among the strictly maritime ducks the eiders (_Somateria_), which live in Arctic regions, are well known for their fine down. Of the geese, the commonest is the well-known Canada goose (_Branta canadensis_), while the pure-white snow-goose (_Chen hyperborea_), with black wing-feathers and red bill, is not unfamiliar. The wild swans (_Olor_) are the largest birds of the order, and are less familiar than the ducks and geese.
=The ibises, herons, and bitterns (Herodiones).=--The tall, long-necked, long-legged, wading birds, known as herons and ibises, compose a small order, the Herodiones, of which but few representatives are at all familiar. Perhaps the most abundant species is the green heron (_Ardea virescens_) or "fly-up-the-creek," one of the smaller members of the order. The crown, back, and wings are green, the neck purplish cinnamon, and the throat and fore neck white-striped. This bird is commonly seen perching on an overhanging limb, or flying slowly up or down some small stream. The great blue heron (_Ardea herodias_) is common over the whole country. It is four feet long and grayish blue, marked with black and white. It may be seen standing alone in wet meadows or pastures, or flying heavily, with head drawn back and long legs outstretched. It breeds singly, but oftener in great heronries, in trees or bushes. Its large bulky nests contain three to six dull, greenish-blue eggs about two and one-half inches long. The white egrets of the Southern States are shot for their plumes and have been locally exterminated in some places. The night-herons (_Nycticorax_) differ from the other forms in having both the neck and legs short. The bittern (_Botaurus lentiginosus_), Indian hen, stake-driver, or thunder-pumper, as it is variously called, is a familiar member of the order, found in marshes and wet pastures, and known by its extraordinary call, sounding like the "strokes of a mallet on a stake." In color it is brownish, freckled and streaked with tawny whitish and blackish. Its nest is made on the ground; its eggs, from three to five in number, are brownish drab and about two inches long.