74 HOW TO IDENTIFY NEW ZEALAND BIRDS 
Water birds with three front toes webbed and 
hind toe usually small. Young are able to leave nest 
almost immediately after they are hatched. Food, 
vegetable matter, fish, worms, crustacea, ete. 
Swans have bare lores, long necks, and short legs. 
Sexes alike. 
Ducks have broad bills. Diving ducks have legs 
set far back. Sexes often very different. 
CICONITFORMES (Stork-shaped). 
Swimmers. Waders. 
Shags, Pied Bittern 
» Black Heron, Blue 
»  White-throated 
Gannet 
The Gannets and Shags have all four toes webbed 
and short legs; wings long and pointed. The 
Gannet has a straight, strong, and conical bill; neck 
of moderate length. The Shags have straight bills 
with hooked tips, small heads, very long necks, and 
legs set far back. The Heron and Bittern have four 
toes, the two outer front ones slightly webbed, and 
long legs, long necks, long straight bills, broad 
wings and short tails. 
PROCELLARITFORMES (Petrel-shaped). 
Giant Petrel Shearwaters Sooty (Mutton Bird) 
Dove Petrel iy Forster ’s 
Diving Petrel 
Ocean birds with tubular nostrils, webbed feet and 
no hind toe, wings very narrow and pointed, bills 
hooked at tip. Sexes alike. Young helpless and fed - 
by parents. Food, fish, molluses, refuse, ete. 
COLYMBIFORMES (Diver-shaped). 
Grebe, Great Crested 
Grebe, Little or Dabchick 
