WATERFOWL IDENTIFICATION

1. WATERFOWL IDENTIFICATION By: Travis DeLozier

3. PUDDLE DUCKS Legs positioned near center of body for good balance to walk and feed on land Colored wing patches on most Large, powerful wings for instant flight jumping off the water almost vertically DIVING DUCKS Smaller wings Large feet positioned far back on the body for diving ablility White to dark gray wing patches on most species

4. Mallard American Black Duck Gadwall American Wigeon Wood Duck Northern Pintail Blue-Winged Teal Green-Winged Teal Northern Shoveler Common Puddle Ducks

5. Male Blue speculum with white bar Yellow bill Green head White ring around neck Female Orange bill with black central patch Pale brown face Dark cap and eye line Mottled brown and tan plumage MallardAnas platyrhynchos

6. Male Brown in color (both sexes) Purple speculum without white borders (both sexes) Greenish-yellow bill Legs frequently bright red Female Greenish bill with black patches Legs generally orange American Black DuckAnas rubripes

7. Male White speculum Black bill Brown head Gray body Gray and brown breast, back and upperwing coverts Black rump, uppertail coverts and undertail coverts White belly Female Gray bill with orange edges Mottled gray, brown and white body plumage Distinct white belly patch GadwallAnas strepera

8. Male White crown Green post-ocular stripe Streaked gray lower face and neck Rusty breast and flanks Dark brown back White patch at rear portion of flanks Black undertail coverts Female Blue bill with black tip Mottled dark brown body plumage with rustier flanks contrasting with paler head and neck Dusky eye patch American WigeonAnas americana

9. Male Red bill Red eye Green head with striking white stripes about face and crest with a large white throat patch and "fingerlike" extensions onto cheek and neck Golden flanks White belly Iridescent dark green-blue back and wings Female Gray bill White teardrop shaped patch around eye White throat Gray-brown head and neck Gray-brown breast stippled with white and fading to a white belly Dark brown back Wood DuckAix sponsa

10. Male Dark brown head Pale gray bill with black stripe down center White finger extending up back of neck Long, black central tail feathers Female Gray bill Tan head and neck Mottled tan and dark brown back and body plumage, paler on belly Brown speculum with white rear border Northern PintailAnas acuta

11. Male Blue-gray head with darker cap White crescent on face in front of eye Buff breast and flanks with darker spotting White band at rear portion of flanks Black undertail coverts Female Pale head Dark crown and eye line Pale eye ring, and loral spot Mottled gray-brown body plumage with darker back Blue-winged TealAnas discors

12. Male Dark bill Rich rust-colored head Iridescent green face patch sweeping through eye and tapering to the back of head Gray flanks and back Vertical white line at fore part of flanks Horizontal black line above flanks Female Dark gray bill Pale brown head and neck Dark brown cap and eye line Dark brown back and upperwing coverts scalloped with buff White breast spotted with brown White belly Green-winged TealAnas crecca

13. Male Large spatulate bill Eyes yellow Green head Rusty underbody White lower neck, breast, and tail Female Eyes brown Orange bill with dusky patches Mottled brown and buff head, neck and back Dusky blue upper secondary coverts Northern ShovelerAnas clypeata

14. COMMON DIVING DUCKS • Canvasback • Redhead • Lesser Scaup • Greater Scaup • Ring-Necked Duck • Bufflehead • Common Goldeneye • Ruddy Duck • Hooded Merganser • Common Merganser

15. Male Red eye Reddish head and neck Black bill Black breast Pale gray back and flanks White belly Black tail, upper- and undertail coverts Female Brown eye Brown head and neck Pale gray back and flanks White belly CanvasbackAythya valisineria

16. Male Blue bill with white ring before black tip Yellow eyes Reddish head and neck Black breast Grayish back and flanks Black tail, upper- and under-tail coverts Whitish belly Female Brown eyes Dark blue-gray bill with black tip Brown head and body plumage Whitish belly RedheadAythya americana

17. Male Blue bill with small black nail at tip (both sexes) Glossy purplish head Black breast Whitish or pale gray flanks, white belly Whitish back with fine black vermiculations Black tail, upper- and under-tail coverts Female Distinct white band around base of bill Dark brown body plumage Whitish belly Peaked crown (both sexes) Yellow eyes (both sexes) Lesser ScaupAythya affinis

18. Male Glossy greenish head Black breast Whitish or pale gray flanks, white belly Whitish back with fine black vermiculations Black tail, upper- and under-tail coverts Female Distinct white band around base of bill Dark brown body plumage Whitish belly Yellow eyes (both sexes) Blue bill with black nail at tip (both sexes) Greater ScaupAythya marila

19. Male Blue bill with white ring around base, white subterminal ring, and black tip Yellow eye Purple head and neck Female Dark blue-gray bill with white ring before black tip Brown eye with narrow white eye ring Dark brown body plumage with very dark back Ring-necked duckAythya collaris

20. Male Small dark gray bill (both sexes) Dark glossy head Large white patch on the head from behind the eye White breast, belly and flanks Dark back Female Dark brown head and body, breast and flanks paler Oval white patch on face behind eye White belly BuffleheadBucephala albeola

21. Male Glossy greenish head Yellow eye White circular patch below eye on face White lower neck, breast, belly and flanks Dark back White scapulars with black striping Female Reddish-brown head Dark-based bill with light patch at tip Gray body, paler on the breast and darker on the back White patch on wing split by two dark bands Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula

22. Male Long stiff-tail (both sexes) Brilliant blue bill Black crown and nape Rust-red lower neck, breast, back and body White face Female Dark gray bill Dusky horizontal stripe crossing pale gray cheek patch Gray brown body plumage Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis

23. Male Yellow eye Fan-like crest present on both sexes Black head and back Large white patch in the center of the crest White breast and belly Black and white stripes at forward portion of reddish flanks Female Brown eye Cold gray-brown head, neck, flanks, back, and upperwings with paler breast Faint reddish tinge to crest White belly Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus

24. Male Greenish-black head and upper neck Red serrated bill Brown eye White breast, flanks and belly Black back and upperwing coverts with white scapulars Female Tapered crest more evident than males Red-brown head meets pale breast in crisp line of division Well-defined white chin White breast and belly Pale gray body plumage Common MerganserMergus merganser

25. Common Geese • Canada Goose • White-Fronted Goose • Snow Goose

26. Canada GooseBranta canadensis • Sexes similar • Black bill • Black head and neck • White throat patch extends up to cheek • Brown back, upper wing and flanks • Brownish-white breast and belly

27. White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons • Sexes similar • Mostly brown plumage • White patch at base of pink or orange bill • White under and uppertail coverts, dark tail • Orange legs and feet

28. White Morph Entirely white plumage Black primaries Pink legs and feet Pink bill with black patch along mandibles Sometimes has orangish stains on head Blue Morph White head and upper neck Dark lower neck and body-some have white bellies Pale gray wing upperwing coverts Scapulars dark-centered with white edges Mostly dark primaries and secondaries Pink legs and feet Pink bill with black patch along mandibles Snow GooseChen caerulescens

29. References • www.ducks.org