Waterfowl are wild birds that live on or near water and swim — ducks, geese and swans above all. The word belongs to a slightly formal, outdoor register: nature documentaries, birdwatching guides, wetland conservation reports, and hunting rules and seasons. A friend pointing at a pond would say 'look at the ducks'; a sign at a nature reserve says 'please do not disturb the waterfowl'.

Waterfowl are wild birdswaterfowl是野生的鳥類 that live on or near water and swim生活在水上或水邊，而且會游泳 ducks, geese and swans above all主要就是鴨子、鵝和天鵝 The word belongs to a slightly formal, outdoor register這個字屬於有點正式、戶外情境的用語 nature documentaries, birdwatching guides, wetland conservation reports像自然紀錄片、賞鳥指南、濕地保育報告 and hunting rules and seasons還有狩獵規定和季節 A friend pointing at a pond would say 'look at the ducks'朋友指著池塘會說「你看那些鴨子」 a sign at a nature reserve says 'please do not disturb the waterfowl'但自然保護區的告示牌會寫「請勿驚擾水禽」

Two details matter. First, the word means the wild swimming birds specifically — it does not stretch to every bird that happens to be standing in water. Herons, egrets and storks wade on long legs but do not swim, and birdwatchers put them in a separate group called `waders` or `wading birds`.

Two details matter有兩個細節要注意 First, the word means the wild swimming birds specifically第一，這個字specifically指的是會游泳的野鳥 it does not stretch to every bird that happens to be standing in water不會泛指所有剛好站在水裡的鳥 Herons, egrets and storks wade on long legs but do not swim鷺、白鷺和鸛用長腿涉水，但不會游泳 and birdwatchers put them in a separate group called waders or wading birds賞鳥的人會把牠們另外歸成一組，叫做waders或wading birds

Second, `waterfowl` also has a farming and food sense: in agriculture, ducks and geese together are called waterfowl, as opposed to `poultry` in the narrower sense of chickens and turkeys. That is the sense you meet in the phrase you may have seen in the news — avian flu spreading among wild waterfowl.

Second, waterfowl also has a farming and food sense第二，waterfowl還有一個農業和食物上的意思 in agriculture, ducks and geese together are called waterfowl在農業裡，鴨和鵝合起來就叫waterfowl as opposed to poultry in the narrower sense of chickens and turkeys相對於比較狹義、專指雞和火雞的poultry That is the sense you meet in the phrase you may have seen in the news這就是你可能在新聞裡看過的那個用法 avian flu spreading among wild waterfowl禽流感在野生水禽之間傳播

The grammar catches people out. `Waterfowl` is normally the same in singular and plural, like `sheep` or `fish`: one waterfowl, many waterfowl. You will occasionally see `waterfowls`, but the unchanged form is far safer.

The grammar catches people out文法上有個地方容易讓人搞錯 Waterfowl is normally the same in singular and pluralwaterfowl通常單複數同形 like sheep or fish就像sheep或fish一樣 one waterfowl, many waterfowl一隻是waterfowl，很多隻也是waterfowl You will occasionally see waterfowls你偶爾會看到waterfowls這種寫法 but the unchanged form is far safer但用不變化的形式安全得多