Birds

Only a small selection can be described here, and this is restricted to aquatic species. Most of these are equally familiar in standing and flowing water. Because of their size, and the tendency of some types to flock together, populations of aquatic birds are more likely to be found on lakes than on ponds due to the amount of food needed to support them. Some of the species described rarely if ever breed in Cornwall, but their populations are boosted in winter by immigrants from colder countries.

The birds which come to mind most readily when fresh water is mentioned are members of the duck family, which also include geese and swans. These birds have webbed feet, set towards the rear of the body, to give excellent propulsion in water.

Ducks may be divided according to the way in which they feed into (i) dabbling ducks, such as the Mallard, which is the typical British wild duck, and the Teal, and (ii) diving ducks, such as the Tufted Duck and the Pochard. Dabbling ducks tend to sift through the surface film of the water while diving ducks feed in the bottom mud. Their diets include aquatic and land plants as well as small creatures. Their nests are usually close to water, typically concealed by marsh vegetation, and often built on islands to give further protection from predators.

The Mute Swan’s long neck allows it to feed in the bottom mud without fully submerging. It never dives, but will up-end to reach further down. It plucks underwater weeds and grazes on the land vegetation, as well as taking small creatures such as insects and snails. Less than half of the swans breed in any one year, the remainder often congregating in large "herds". The cob (male) brings material from which the pen (female) constructs a large open nest.

Divers, such as the Red-throated Diver, have webbed feet set towards the rear, like ducks. As their name suggests, they dive to catch their prey, which consists of fish and invertebrates such as crustaceans. They often appear on lakes and reservoirs.

The Grebes include the Great Crested Grebe, which is remarkable for the elaborate courtship gestures which males and females make to each other out on open water. It prefers shallow lakes and large ponds. The habitats of the Little Grebe, or Dabchick, includes lakes, ponds and slow-flowing rivers. Grebes dive for their food, which includes fish, insects, crustaceans and plants.

Coots and Moorhens belong to the rail family. They are black birds, with white faces and beaks in the case of the Coot and red in the Moorhen. Both are able to dive, and their varied diets include plants, seeds and invertebrates, taken on land and in water. The Moorhen is often found in a single breeding pair on a pond, while the Coot is more likely to be found in flocks on lakes and as a winter visitor. Their nests are built among vegetation at the water’s edge.

The Grey Heron is long-legged wading bird, which stalks fish (and is viewed as an enemy by many fish keepers), frogs, voles, young birds, snails, crustaceans and insects. It is the second-largest common bird in Britain, the largest being the Mute Swan. Its feeding habitats include slow rivers and streams, shallow lakes and even goldfish ponds in gardens, while its breeding colonies, known as heronries, are often in tall trees near water.

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