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Shallower and warmer lakes are high in food such as algae and along the shores plants such as the cattails and bulrushes grow. Lakes and ponds are valuable to many birds such as ducks, geese and swans which they use for both nesting sites and feeding areas.
The most common and widepsread species are the Canada Goose and the Mallard Duck which can be found in urban park ponds. The Canada Goose was once restricted as a breeding species to the northern half of the continent but now nests as far south as the Carolinas.
Lakes and ponds can be found anywhere in the United States. In the Eastern US, we have the Great Lakes which were formed by melted glaciers.
(Not all birds are listed)
| Birds | Breeding/Nest Facts | Plant Food |
| American Black Duck | Breeds on islands in lakes. Nest on ground and well concealed under bushes | Pondweed, Cordgrass, Wildrice, Alga |
| American Coot | Breeds on lakes or large ponds. Nest on ground among vegetation on water or by water. | Pondweed, Naiad, Bulrush, Duckweed |
| Bald Eagle | Breeds by lakes and other bodies of water. Nest is large, in a large tree, near water and reused annually. | (Fish) |
| Belted Kingfisher | Breeds by lakes and other bodies of water. Nest in burrow of bank near water or a natural cavity in a tree. | (Fish) |
| Blue-winged Teal | Breeds by ponds. Nest on ground near water and concealed in growing vegetation. | Duckweed, Pondweed, Smartweed |
| Bonaparte's Gull | Breeds near lakes and rivers. Nest located on branches of spruce trees. | (Fish & garbage) |
| Bufflehead | Breeds by lakes, ponds and rivers and around wooded bogs. Nest in tree cavity. | Pondweed, Naiad, Wildcelery |
| Canada Goose | Breeds in variety of habitats. Nest by water among trees. | Cordgrass, Widgeongrass, Glasswort |
| Canvasback | Breeds in water with growing vegetation. Nest concealed with dense growing vegetation in water. | Pondweed, Wildcelery, Bulrush |
| Caspian Tern | Breeds near large lakes and islands. Nest on ground. | (Fish, aquatic insects) |
| Common Goldeneye | Breeds by lakes and around wooded bogs. Nest located in cavity of tree or stump. | Pondweed, Widgeongrass, Wildcelery |
| Common Loon | Breeds on large and deep lakes. Nest located on island or small island mounds near edge. | (Fish, frogs, insects) |
| Common Merganser | Breeds by lakes. Nest in tree cavity. | (Fish, insects) |
| Common Pintail | Breeds by lakes and other bodies of water. Nest located away from water in vegetation. | Smartweed, Pondweed, Bulrush |
| Common Tern | Breeds by lakes. Nest on ground on floating vegetation. | (Fish, aquatic insects) |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Breeds on larger lakes, inlets or islands. Nest located in tree or cliff overlooking water. | (Fish, marine worms) |
| Franklin's Gull | Breeds in lakes. Nest on floating vegetation held by stems of tall plants. | Duckweed (Fish & garbage) |
| Great Blue Heron | Breeds by larger bodies of water. Nest built in tall trees or ledges of cliffs. | (Fish, crayfish, frogs, insects) |
| Greater Scaup | Breeds by lake islands. Nest in open area. | Pondweed, Widgeongrass, Wildcelery |
| Green-backed Heron | Breeds by water. Nest located in shrubs by water. | (Fish, crayfish, aquatic insects) |
| Green-winged Teal | Breeds on islands in lakes. Nest located on ground and concealed with tall grasses, bushes and trees. | Bulrush, Wildrice, Sedge, Wildmillet |
| Hooded Merganser | Breeds by forest ponds and lakes. Nest in cavity of tree or stump. | (Fish, insects) |
| Horned Grebe | Breeds on lakes and ponds. Nest in tall vegetation in water. | (Fish, aquatic insects) |
| Lesser Scaup | Breeds by lake islands. Nest on ground near water concealed by grasses and other vegetation. | Pondweed, Wildrice, Wildcelery |
| Little Blue Heron | Breeds by lakes and ponds. Nests in trees or shrubs. | (Crayfish, worms, fish, grasshoppers) |
| Mallard | Breeds in a variety of habitats near water. Nest on ground among bushes and grasses. | Wildrice, Pondweed, Wildcelery |
| Osprey | Breeds near lakes and other bodies of water. Nest is on tree-top overlooking water. | (Fish) |
| Pied-billed Grebe | Breeds on lakes and ponds. Floating nest in vegetation. | (Crayfish, fish, aquatic insects) |
| Red-throated Loon | Breeds on lakes. Nests on shore edges. | (Fish and insects) |
| Redhead | Breeds by lakes in taller vegetation. Nest on ground in drier areas. | Pondweed, Wildcelery, Wildrice |
| Ring-billed Gull | Breeds by lakes. Nest on ground on small islands. | Pondweed (Fish & garbage) |
| Ring-necked Duck | Breeds by ponds. Nest on ground near water concealed in tall grasses and normally in damp areas. | Pondweed, Duckweed, Smartweed |
| Shoveller | Breeds by water with vegetation at edges. Nest on ground concealed by grasses and other vegetation near water. | Bulrush, Pondweed, Alga, Duckweed |
| Snow Goose | Breeds by lakes. Nest on ground concealed by tall vegetation. | Cordgrass, Rootstock, Cattail |
| Yellow-crowned Night Heron | Breeds by water. Nest located in trees and bushes. | (Crabs, crayfish) |
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