Bird -- Aquatic Ecosystem

The aquatic ecosystems in North America vary from saltwater to freshwater, from shallow fast-flowing streams to deep slow-moving rivers, from small prairie "potholes" to the Great Lakes, from cold sphagnum bogs in the north to the Everglades in the south. The aquatic ecosystems support a diverse and specialized avifauna. For example, consider the prairie potholes, small lakes and ponds in the northern Great Plains created by huge melting chunks of glacial ice lodged in the ground. These wetlands are the main nesting area for many of our Mallard, Northern Pintail, and other duck populations. Gulls and terns nest in large colonies around the Great Lakes and along all the coasts. Herons and egrets abound in marshes and swamps throughout the continent, although no swamp seems so rich in bird life as the Everglades.

Lake side marshes such as this are an important for a wide variety of birds, but represent only one kind of Aquatic Ecosystem. Rivers, streams, bogs, estuaries, bays, and the open ocean all support unique avian faunas.