Waterfowl Identification
Waterfowl hunting is a complex sport involving many species of game. Populations of various species may vary from year to year, and trends in populations may result in changes in the hunting regulations. As a result, the well-prepared waterfowlers must know how to identify both the species of waterfowl likely to be encountered and how to tell the sexes apart. Like many other skills, this one is relatively easy once a few basics are learned.
Reasons for Learning to Identify Waterfowl
There are many reasons to learn how to identify waterfowl: legal, sporting, culinary, and personal. Legal reasons are mainly associated with being able to identify birds that may be taken legally and in keeping within established bag limits, whether they are restrictions on the number of birds of any given species that may be taken or point values when operating under the point system. In either event, some species may be completely protected through closed season while others are considered abundant, sometimes resulting in bonus bag limits. Only the waterfowlers who can identify birds in the air can take advantage of those bonuses while avoiding birds that are more restricted.
A waterfowlers who can identify birds in the air has an option of increasing either the food value or the sporting value of their day afield by selecting the birds they attempt to take. From the manager’s point of view, having selective hunters permits larger bag limits. If hunters are not selective, the manager must restrict the total bag limit to the conservative limit the least abundant species can stand. If they are selective, the manager can impose limits that reflect the status of each species. From the hunter’s point of view, selectivity can result in more time afield, increased amounts of hunting, and more personal satisfaction.
Any waterfowl hunter can attest to the fact that mallards and pintails taste better than common mergansers. The diets of the birds have a strong influence upon their table value, although nearly any bird can be made palatable if some effort is extended. In addition, where waterfowl are contaminated with toxic or noxious chemicals, those contaminant levels often differ between species. One state agency recommends that mergansers not be eaten unless they were first skinned to remove the fat. Even then, they recommend eating only one meal per month. Those birds have been found to contain significant levels of PCBs. Wood ducks had very low levels in of the same contaminant, and mallards and black ducks were similarly low.
Most experienced waterfowlers take pride in their ability to identify ducks and geese. They spend substantial amounts of their time afield outside the waterfowl season, observing and studying the birds that they like to hunt for a few days each fall and winter. That time afield extends their recreation and brings personal satisfaction while making them better waterfowlers when they do take shotgun in hand and head for the blind.
Distinguishing Waterfowl from Other Birds
Almost any child can tell us what a duck looks like. It has webbed feet. It has a more or less flattened beak. It has a relatively long neck and a short tail, so it appears to have he wings set relatively toward the rear of the body when in flight. On land, even the agile species, such as puddle ducks, whistling ducks, geese and swans, are relatively slow moving. They are swift flying species with a relatively rapid and shallow wing rhythm that can be used to distinguish them from long distances.
Ducks, geese, and swans are not the only birds found in good waterfowl habitat, however. They share their preferred habitats with many marsh and wading birds, several species of raptors or birds of prey, and a number of songbirds. Very few of those other species are legal game animals. Thus, the waterfowler must make their identifications on several levels. First, waterfowl must be separated from other groups. Then, they must be identified to species. The wise waterfowl hunter will spend some time becoming familiar with herons, egrets, and bitterns, with harrier, or marsh hawks, peregrine falcons, or duck hawks, osprey, or fish eagles, and bald eagles, with various shorebirds, rails, kingfishers, and songbirds like blackbirds. These animals, too, add to the richness of one’s experience afield; but they do so only if the hunter appreciates them.
Major Groups of Waterfowl
All ducks, geese, and swans belong to the family Anatidae. Biologists divide that family into several smaller groups. They recognize two subfamilies that include seven tribes. The Anserinae include whistling ducks (Dendrocygini), and geese and swans (Anserini). The Anatinae include the wood duck (Carinini), dabbling ducks (Anatini), bay ducks (Aythyini), sea ducks and mergansers (Mergini), and stiff-tailed ducks (Oxyurini). Those names may seem to be a mouthful, but knowing the general group to which a species belongs can be helpful in remembering how to tell them apart. Like other types of biological groupings, these groups share fewer characteristics as they get smaller, until only the species remains with its unique identifying characteristics.
Whistling Ducks
These ducks were formerly known as tree ducks. They are more closely related to geese and swans then to other ducks. They have long legs and a long, goose-like neck; and their stance is very goose-like as well. In flight, they seem to have a deliberate wing rhythm with deep strokes of relatively rounded wings. Their long neck is matched by the long, trailing legs, suggesting the flight of an ibis. They fly in irregular flocks or small groups. Two species are present in North America, the fulvous and black-bellied whistling ducks. Black-bellied whistling ducks are true to their former name, usually nesting in tree cavities; but fulvous whistling ducks usually nest on the ground. In the United States, both species are found primarily on the Texas coastal plain, with the primary range in Mexico.
Fulvous Whistling Duck – Both sexes of this species are similar in plumage characteristics. The birds are light tan to cinnamon brown below and dark brown above. A distinct whitish border separates the dark back from the lighter flanks. A light “V” lies between the dark back and tail. Their bill, feet, and legs are gray. Their call is often given in flight. It is a two-note, squealing whistle.
Black-bellied Whistling Duck – In general appearance, this species is similar to the fulvous whistling duck. In flight, the sharply contrasting wings are a good field mark. They are black below and white with black tips and trailing edges above. The breast, neck, crown, and back are cinnamon brown, with a black belly and sides with a black stripe running down the back of the neck. The bird’s upper neck and head are gray. Its feet and legs are oink, and the bill is reddish. They call often in flight, using a three-note whistle.
Swans
Four species of swan are found in North America, and three will be included here. Two native species, the tundra swan and the trumpeter swan, breed here. The mute swan is an escaped exotic species that has become established in the wild in many areas. Finally, the whooping swan is an Asian species that visits Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Swans are the largest of all waterfowl, with a very long neck, large body size, and relatively short legs. Adults of all four of these species have pure white plumage, although the head and neck may be stained a rusty color.
Mute Swan – This huge white bird holds its neck in an S-curve when at rest on the water. Its orange bill most easily distinguishes it with a dark knob at its base. Young birds have a grayish head, neck, and back. The bill of a young mute swan is gray to reddish gray.
Trumpeter Swan – This species has a neck the length of its body. Usually it is held erect or in a slight curve. The head and upper neck may be stained a rusty color from minerals in the marsh soils where the birds feed. Trumpeter swans have a black bill. Their best distinguishing feature is their call, a deep, horn-like note. Young trumpeter swans keep their gray plumage into the spring or early summer of their second year. Many biologists consider the Whooping Swan, a visitor from northern Asia to Alaska, to be the same species as the trumpeter swan.
Tundra Swan – Formerly called the whistling swan, some of these birds can be told from trumpeter swans by a yellowish spot at the base of the bill. Lack of the yellow spot makes them difficult to distinguish from the previous species. Young tundra swans are brownish gray with a reddish bill and pinkish feet and legs that darken to black. Tundra swans tend to travel in larger flocks than do trumpeter swans, and they are easily told apart by their calls. Tundra swan calls are higher pitched and often quavering, with an accent in the middle. The call is similar to, but more musical than, the calls of snow geese.Geese
Six species of geese, including many subspecies or races, form the majority of the geese found in North America. Geese range in size from nearly swan-like proportions in the giant Canada goose to slightly larger than a mallard in the Cackling goose. They have long necks, although shorter than those of swans. Their legs are relatively longer than swans, but shorter than those of whistling ducks. Geese have relatively short, heavy beaks adapted for grazing. In addition to the geese described below, occasionally waterfowlers or bird watchers will observe stray birds from Europe. Both greylag geese and pink-footed geese are seen from time to time on the Atlantic coast.
Greater White-fronted Goose – These birds are often called “specks” or “specklebellies” by waterfowlers. At a distance, this species seems to uniformly brownish; but at closer ranges their features can be seen. Dark blotches mark the breast, and adult birds have white or whitish patches at the base of the bill. Immature birds share the adults’ yellow feet and legs. The yellow bill of the immature bird changes to a pinkish one in the adult. White-fronts have a sharp, two-not call that has given them the name “laughing geese” in some areas.
Snow Goose – Adult snow geese have two color phases, white and dark. The white phase bird is white with black wing tips. The dark phase, formerly called a blue goose, is gray with some lighter feathers at the shoulders. They have the same dark wing tips and a white head and upper neck. In both color phases the head may be stained a rusty color from the minerals in marsh soils. The legs and feet are reddish, and the bill is pink with a dark elliptical patch on its sides. That patch makes the bird seem to be grinning. Young light phase birds look a dingy gray or smoky white. Dark phase young are browner with the same dark wing tips. Both color phases have darker legs, feet, and bills than the adults. In flight, when landing, or when they are about to take off, these birds call a lot often sounding like the barking of many small dogs. They are known to waterfowlers as snows, blues, brant, and wavies. The latter name comes from their tendency to fly in large flocks spread over a range of altitudes with a somewhat undulating flight pattern. The proportion of light and dark phase birds varies with the region of the country.
Ross’ Goose – Ross’ geese look very much like a small snow goose with a stubby neck. They lack the “grinning patch” of the snow goose; and their bills are shorter, often having warty lumps at their bases. The legs and feet are lighter pink than those of snow geese, too. They fly with a more rapid wing beat and have a higher pitched call than do snow geese. Juveniles are much whiter than young snows. Ross’ geese are mostly restricted to the Pacific flyway.
Emperor Goose – Regarded as one of the most beautiful geese by many ornithologists, this species is seldom seen in North America outside Alaska. In flight, it is somewhat similar to a blue goose except that the underside of the white head and upper neck is dark and it has blue-gray rather than white under the tail coverts. It is a heavy bodied, short-necked bird of the Bering Sea. Bluish feathers bordered with black and having nearly white edges cover its back. Those feathers form wavy light bands on the back and flanks.
Canada Geese – Probably the most familiar goose of North America, Canada geese range in size from the maxima race (Giant Canada Goose), a bird weighing up to about 12-13 pounds, to the minima race (Cackling Goose), weighing about 2-3 pounds, roughly the size of a mallard. Canada geese, called honkers, Canadas, or Canadians by shooters, have gray-brown to brown backs and wings, gray to brown breasts and flanks, white under tail coverts, a white chevron at the base of the tail, and black tail feathers and primary feathers. Their most easily recognized feature is the black head and neck with the white chin patch. Only the brant could be confused with smaller Canadas, and brant have a broken neck ring rather than a chin patch. Their familiar call is a ker-honk that varies considerably among the subspecies. The Barnacle Goose, an accidental species in North America, has a black stocking on its neck extending up into the crown of its head, but the sides of the head are creamy white.
Brant- Brant are short-necked seas geese. They roughly resemble a small, short-necked Canada Goose, although the dark phase has a black breast and belly. Brant have a black head and neck with a necklace of white just behind the head, although at close range it may seem to be streaked. The East Coast population is lighter than the Pacific coast population. Gunners call pacific birds black brants or Pacific brant. Atlantic birds are called sea geese, brant geese, or white-bellied brant. Brant have a barking call similar to some of the smaller Canada Goose races. They breed in the far North and are known for having large fluctuations in reproductive success.
Puddle Ducks or Dabbling Ducks
For our purposes, we will include the wood duck with this group of birds, even though it has some characteristics that distinguish it from others in the group. These birds have relatively large wings for their body size, making them very maneuverable in flight. They tend to flush straight up from the water without the need for a running start. Nearly every species in the group has some iridescence or brightly colored plumage on their wings, usually on the secondary feathers. Their legs are near the middle of their bodies, making them relatively agile on land. The hind toe is not lobed. Although they are capable of diving under the water, they usually up end on the surface, called tipping up, to feed. They feed primarily in shallow water areas, but some species may spend considerable time feeding in grain fields.
Wood Duck – In flight, wood ducks seem to have their wings situated near the middle of the bird, unlike most other waterfowl where the wings seem to be toward the rear of the bird’s total length. The relatively long, squared tail is another good field mark. Both sexes have crested heads and show white bellies in flight. Male wood ducks have a distinctive white facial pattern, even when in eclipse. Females have a teardrop shaped white patch around the eye. The speculum is a rather diffuse metallic violet-blue with a trailing white edge. They are most easily confused with widgeon, which also have a white belly. Woodies have a larger, crested head, a thin white trailing edge on the wings, and a long rectangular tail. Widgeon have a smaller appearing head, white on the leading edge on the wing, and a short, wedge-shaped tail. Female woodies are quite vocal with a quavering, ascending squeal (wheeeep, wheeep, wheeep). Males call rarely, using a goldfinch-like note. Other names for the wood duck include woodie, summer duck, acorn duck, swamp duck, or squealer in some areas.
Green-winged Teal – The smallest of the ducks and one of the fastest, green-wings resemble large bumblebees in flight. Flocks may appear as loosely packed balls, filled with twisting and darting birds. The best field mark on green-wings aside from their size and behavior is the speculum. It is two-toned metallic green and brownish with a buffy or rusty leading edge. There is no light patch on the leading edge of the wing as in the blue-winged teal.
American Black Duck – Also called a black mallard, black, Blackie, or red leg, the black duck is a sooty brown bird about the color of a scorched cork. In flight, the light underwing linings contrast sharply with the sooty body. The speculum is dark blue-violet with black edges on the leading and trailing edges. A thin white line may occur on the trailing edge of the speculum in some birds. Under some light conditions, the lighter colored heads and necks contrast sharply with the sooty body, but in poorer light that contrast is not dependable. Black ducks often mingle with mallards and other dabbling ducks. Flocks of black ducks tend to be smaller than mallard flocks, seldom exceeding 20-25 birds. They often circle many times before dropping into a decoy rig, giving them a reputation for wariness.
Mottled Duck – Very similar to a mallard hen in appearance, the mottled duck can be distinguished by its blue-green speculum with a black leading edge and a mallard-like black and white trailing edge. The birds are somewhat darker than mallard hens, but lighter than black ducks. The bills are very similar to those seen in mallards; the hens have an orange bill speckled with black, and the drakes have an olive-green bill.
Mallard – The mallard is an easily recognized species, yet hen mallards are often confused with several other species. Both sexes have a violet=blue speculum, with white edges on both the leading and trailing edges of the speculum. That field mark assures sure identification. Hens are straw colored with dark brown streaks of speckles. They have a brown, speckled head with a dark line extending through the eye. Males have an iridescent green head, a white neck ring, chestnut upper breast, light gray breast and flanks, and a darker back. The under tail coverts and the rump feathers are black and the tail feathers are white. Overhead, the drake is dark in front, light in the middle, dark toward the rear, and white on the tail. The female is dusky with a white tail. Gunners often refer to the drake as a greenhead and to the hens as a Susie. Mallards are very vocal, with a wide range of quacks and chuckles that are the basis for much dick calling.
Northern Pintail – In flight, pintails have a sleek appearance, long and thin with slightly sickle-shaped wings. The pointed tails of the drakes are obvious, giving them the name “sprig.” Flocks are often organized in long, curved lines. Like woodies, pintails seem to have their wings somewhat centered in the body. Pintails have long necks and a slender appearance. Drakes have a rusty brown and white neck. Hens are mottled tan and brown. The hen has a non-iridescent speculum that is brown-green to green with a buff streak on the leading edge and white on the trailing edge. Drakes have a more iridescent black and green or green speculum, similarly bordered. Pintails communicate with whistled notes, often used by hunters in areas where they are abundant. Hunters call pintail spring, sprigtail, spike, and spiketail and refer to drakes as “bulls.”
Blue-winged Teal – This species and the following two are all have large powder-blue patches on the bases of the leading edge of their wings. In bright light, the wing patches may appear to flicker almost white as the birds fly. Blue-winged teal are small ducks. They fly in fairly small compact flocks, often low to the water with much twisting and turning. Often the flock looks like it is having difficulty deciding which way to go. Bluewings migrate very early, and early in the fall, both drakes and hens are drab brown birds, darker above and paler, speckled below. In addition to the waxy-looking, pale blue wing patch, both sexes have a green speculum. In males, it is separated from the blue shoulder patch by a white margin. In late fall and winter drakes are easily recognized by the distinctive white crescent on the front of the head, between the base of the bill and the eye. Bluewing hens “quack” softly. Drakes call with a whistled “peep.” In flight, the birds communicate with twittering calls that may identify the birds before they are seen.
Cinnamon Teal – The pale blue shoulder patch of the cinnamon teal has a more chalky appearance than those of blue-winged teal, but for practical identification hen and eclipse drakes are nearly impossible to distinguish from Bluewings in flight. Drakes in breeding plumage are easily recognized by their cinnamon brown heads, necks, and bodies. Most cinnamon teal are seen west of the Rio Grande valley in Texas, while most blue-winged teal are seen on the Great Plains or further east. Their flight patterns are similar to those of the Bluewings, and they tend to sly in smaller, family groups and are much less vocal in flight. Drakes have a chattering call, and hens quack faintly. Even in the hand, hen and immature cinnamon teal are difficult to separate from blue-winged teal. Drakes have red eyes, dull brown tail feathers, and a black bill in contrast to the brown eyes, black tail feathers, and a blue-black bill in the Bluewing. Hunters may refer to this species as a red teal or red-breasted teal.
Northern Shoveler – Called shovelers, spoonbills, spoonies, smiling mallards, and many other names by waterfowlers, northern shovelers have a very distinctive bill that can be used as a field mark almost as far away as the bird can be seen. The bill is slightly longer than the head and expanded at the tip into a spoon shape. The blue shoulder patch, similar to that of blue-winged teal and cinnamon teal, is not always present. In early fall both sexes have plumage similar to that of hen mallards. Drakes gradually take on breeding plumage throughout the fall, eventually having a dark green head, white upper breast, and chestnut belly. The bright green speculum is separated from the blue shoulder patch by a wide, tapering white stripe. Both the wings and the bill can be used for identification. The steady, direct flight of small flocks becomes twisting and teal-like when the birds are startled.
Gadwall – Gadwalls are also known as gray ducks or gray mallards to waterfowlers. In flight, they are slimmer than mallards, but heavier bodied than pintails. The speculum us black and white, bordered at the front by rusty brown and black. The birds show a white belly in flight like widgeon. In contrast to widgeon, however, they have white on the speculum or trailing edge of the wing, rather than on the shoulder area. Both sexes have brownish heads. Hens and immatures have a gray breast and flanks with a brown back. Drakes have gray body feathers and a white belly. Gadwalls have slender bills that are gray-black in the drakes and dusky yellow with black dots in hens. Gadwalls whistle and quack.
American Widgeon – In flight both the American and European Widgeon have white bellies with a darker head and neck. Their wings have a white patch on the leading edge with a green speculum. Males have a light patch on their crowns, leading to the name “baldplate” used by gunners. Their overall gray-brown appearance on the water leads to another commonly used hunter’s name of gray duck. In American widgeon that patch is nearly white, while European widgeon have a yellowish or buff topknot. Widgeon fly with a deep, rapid wing beat in compact flocks. In addition to being found in shallow waters, widgeon may be seen in mixed flocks with bay dicks where they feed by stealing the diving birds’ food. Widgeon have a pintail-like, three-note whistle with an accent on the middle note. Pintails have all three notes on the same pitch.
Bay Ducks
Birds in this group have smaller wings than do dabbling ducks. They fly with a faster wing rhythm, are somewhat less maneuverable, and need a taxiing run on the surface to get airborne. These birds have a lobed hind toe and relatively larger feet than dabbling ducks. They usually feed in somewhat deeper water, diving completely below the surface to seek plant or animal foods. Their legs are placed more toward the rear of their bodies, and they are somewhat awkward on land. Their wings are without iridescent plumage, but all of these species have either gray or white wing patches or strips on the trailing edges of their wings.
Canvasback – In flight canvasbacks tend to be the most dabbler-like of the bay ducks. They often fly at considerable heights and come to decoys from some altitude rather than buzzing them at the wave tops. “Cans” also tend to fly in organized lines or Vs much like mallards. Drakes appear to be dark on both ends and white in the middle, much like a mallard drake when seen overhead. The major difference is that cans have black tail feathers, while mallards have white tails. Hen cans are brownish with paler color on the head and at the base of the bill. The bill itself is one of the best field marks on a canvasback. It is wedge-shaped, seeming to start from the top of the head and tapering steadily toward the tip. It can also be used as a field mark any time the bird can be seen from the side. On the water or in the hand, drakes have a bright chestnut-red head and neck, a side black band around the body at the base of the neck, very pale gray back, flanks, and belly, and a black rump and tail. In good light, they may seem to be dazzling white. Females are generally brown with a lighter brown head and neck. They may be flecked with patches of gray on the back and flanks. Both sexes have a gray speculum.
Redheads – Redheads, too, may be mistaken for mallards under some light conditions. They have about the same body shape and the same pattern of light and dark coloration. The dark head, neck, and upper breast and the dark rump and tail are separated by a lighter gray midsection. Like canvasbacks, redheads have dark tail feathers. Female redheads are relatively plain brown with light brown at the base of the bill; in general, they look like a bleached out version of the drake. Both sexes have a bluish bill with a black tip set off by a single white line. Their wings are dark gray or brownish with a gray speculum. The birds purr or meow like a cat and respond to both mallard calls and the burring call used for scaup. In poor light conditions the dark rusty head may appear to be black, so careful identification is needed to avoid shooting the wrong species.
Ring-necked Duck – Ring-necked ducks follow the same dark-light-dark pattern of the can and the redhead when viewed from below. Above, the drakes are black on the back. Their wings are very dark with a gray speculum. The tips of the secondary feathers (speculum) are dark with a thin white line at their tips. In flight, the drakes have a light triangle below the leading edge of the wings. Hens are mottled brown with a white belly. Drakes have bluish beaks ringed with two white lines, one at the base and another behind the black tip. Hens lack the line at the base of the bill. Those white lines are the source of the gunner’s names, ring-billed duck, or ringbill. The dark back is the source of another: “blackjack.” Both sexes have a slightly crested, angular head that can be used to distinguish hens from similar species with round heads. Drakes have a black head with purple iridescence. The neck upper breast, back, rump, and tail are also black. A faint rusty ring on the neck, the source of the name ‘ringneck” or ring-necked duck, is often hard to see even in the hand. The sides and flanks have gray vermiculations or wavy lines, and the belly is white. Females are generally mottled brown, like a dark redhead hen, having a white belly and light brown at the base of the bill. Ringnecks are much more likely to be found on small marshes, ponds, open areas of swamps, and small bottomland lakes than the other members of this group.
Greater Scaup – Known as broadbill or bluebill to waterfowlers, greater scaup tend to be found most frequently on salt water bays, but they mix with lesser scaup on inland waters as well. Greater scaup are chunky, robust birds with rounded heads. Built on the now familiar dark-light-dark pattern, these birds show a white stripe toward the trailing edge of the wings when in flight. In greater scaup, the white stripe includes all the secondary feathers and extends about halfway out the primary feathers. Females are dark mottled brown with a white belly and a nearly white patch around the face between the base of the bill and the eyes. Drakes have black heads, necks, and upper breasts, rumps, and tails. The heads show a green iridescence in good light. The flanks, sides, and upper back appear gray with heavy, dark vermiculations. In very good light, the backs may seem to be white, unless a canvasback is nearby for comparison. Both sexes have a blue bill with a black tail. Greater scaup tend to fly directly and fairly low to the water in tight groups or lines.
Lesser Scaup – Generally found in freshwater, the lesser scaup, or bluebill is slightly smaller than the greater scaup. The main distinguishing characteristics are the shorter white stripe on the wings, covering only the secondary feathers, and the purple iridescence on the black heads of the males. The heads of lesser scaup are less rounded and the bills slightly narrower than those of greater scaup. Lesser scaup fly in closely packed groups, often having 25-50 birds. The flights are rapid, but erratic, twisting, turning, rising, and whirling as they move from place to place. The birds make a burring trill in flight (“brrrrrrrp”) that is easily imitated and useful as a general diving duck call,
Sea Ducks and Mergansers
Mergansers are easily recognized by their long, narrow beaks, which have many tooth-like processes. Like the other members of this group, they have relatively small wings. Their wing rhythm is extremely fast, and their flight is straight and direct. Many of these birds dive deeply to feed, primarily on animal foods, like mollusks and fish. They have large feet with a lobed rear toe. Their feet are placed near the back of the body in most cases, making them very clumsy on land with goldeneyes, buffleheads and hooded mergansers being the exceptions to this trait. Most of these birds have relatively short, heavy beaks. Their plumage is variable, but the vast majority or the species have large blocks or patches of white on the wings.
Common Eider – All the eiders are large, heavy bodied sea ducks. They are seen infrequently in the inshore haunts of most other ducks and are hunted by a group of specialists around offshore islands. Only occasionally will an eider or any kind find its way into the bag of the average waterfowler. Common eiders fly in ragged lines very low to the water, often in troughs of the waves. Their flight alternates flapping and gliding and seems labored. Drakes are black and white: white on the head, neck, chest, and back and black on the breast, sides, belly, rump, and tail. Their wings are white at the base with a white patch extending to the middle of the leading edge of the wing and black at the tips with black extending onto the secondary feathers. The drake also has a black crown. The head and nape of the neck are tinged with green and the upper breast is tinted with pink or orange. Females are brown with darker brown barring. Like other eiders, these birds have a sloping bill with a Y-shaped shield that extends up almost to the eye.
King Eider – King eiders fly abreast in wavering lines just a few feet above the water. Drakes appear white from the front of the wings forward and generally black from there back. The wings are marked with white triangles from the base, the triangles surrounded by black. A white spot just in front of the tail interrupts the black on the lower flanks. The hen is brown, barred with crescent shaped dark brown markings. Both the drake and the hen have a fairly small, orange bill that extends up to form an orange shield on the front of the head. At close range, the male has a bluish crown, a green wash to the sides of the head, and a black V at the throat. Females usually have unstreaked throats, but some are streaked like those of common eiders.
Spectacled Eider – Limited to coastal Alaska, this bird travels in very small flocks or alone, flying low over the water. The white of its fore parts extends onto the middle of the back and along the upper flanks, blending with the white triangle on the leading edge of the wings. The breast, belly, and tail are black, but a band of white extends around the belly just in front of the tail, separating the belly and the tail. The large, pale green head is marked with large white spectacles around the eyes. At close range the thin line of black feathers around the spectacles become obvious. Females share the spectacles of the male, although they are tan rather than white. Both sexes have feathers covering the base of the upper part of the beak, unlike other eiders.
Steller’s Eider – Like the spectacled eider, Steller’s eider is found only in Alaska. It is the smallest and fastest of the eiders. Drakes have a white head, forewings, and back. The back is marked by a central black stripe that extends forward to the base of the neck and joins to form a necklace and a black chin patch. The breast, belly, and flanks are cinnamon brown. The tail is dark brown. The feet and beak are blue-gray. The white head is marked by a black spot around the eye and a greenish, rounded crest at the back of the head. Males have a blue speculum with a white trailing edge fore and aft. Steller’s eiders fly with a wing whistle similar to that of common goldeneyes.
Harlequin Duck – Harlequin ducks are uncommon, usually seen alone or in very small flocks. The drakes have a gray-blue body decorated with white stripes, crescents, and spots, most of which are bordered by thin black edges. The head is marked with a broad crescent between the base of the bill and the eye, a spot behind the eye, and a long crescent from the base of the skull down the neck. Additional white lines around the base of the neck, in front of the wing, and along the back at the top of each wing give the drake a very striking appearance. Their flanks are rusty. At a distance, they appear to be nearly black. In flight, their wings show none of the white patches seen in buffleheads and goldeneyes. Females are generally dark with a light belly. Their dark wings and three white spots on the head on he cheek, in front of the eye, and near the “ear,” distinguish them from other ducks. Harlequin ducks have a relatively long tail that is often raised while at rest on the water.
Oldsquaw – Known to shooters as long-tailed duck, sea pintail, or cockertail, this black and white bird is one of the deepest diving ducks. In flight, both sexes seem to have white heads, breasts, and bellies with a dark upper breast, wings, and tail. In drakes, the dark areas are black. Hens and immatures are gray-brown in the dark areas. Their backs are dark colored like the wings. Only drakes have the long, pointed tail. Oldsquaws fly swiftly and low to the water in flocks that change formations constantly. They frequently twist and turn in flight, flashing black and white as various parts of their bodies are exposed to view.
Black Scoter – coastal gunners who hunt them call all scoters “coots.” The black scoter is also called the American scoter, common scoter, black coot, and black duck in some parts of its range. Drake black scoters are the only all black duck in North America. Their black bill carries an orange knob at its base. Females are sooty brown-black with a lighter head. Both sexes have a silvery wing flash when in flight. Black scoters fly in lines, irregular flocks, and organized wedges.
Surf Scoter – Also known as skunkhead, coot, or sea coot, the surf scoter is more common than the black scoter. Surf scoters are nearly all black except for white spots on the forehead and the back of the head. The long, heavy bill is orange, white, and black in drakes. Both sexes have all black wings. Hens are dark brown to nearly black with two whitish spots on the sides of their head below the eye. A dark band running through the eye separates the spots. Surf scoters usually fly in irregular formations.
White-winged Scoter – Called coot, sea coot, and whitewing, this species can be identified by its white speculum. Drakes also have a curved, teardrop shaped patch below the eye. Hens share the two white spots on the head seen in surf scoters. The front spot on white-winged scoters meets the base of the bill. White-winged scoters fly in irregular flocks, or more often, in long irregular undulating lines.
Common Goldeneye – The drake common goldeneye or whistler is a study in black and white. The black head features green iridescence and a small, nearly round, white spot at the base of the bill. The neck, breast, and belly are white. The back has a central strip of black flanked by white or streaked black and white, leading to a black tail. The black wings have large white blocks that extend from the secondaries nearly to the leading edge of the wing. Hens have a rusty head and a white neck. The body is gray above and white below. The wings feature a white speculum that is twice divided by lengthwise dark streaks, leaving three white patches from the front to the back of the wing. Whistlers fly in small groups, swiftly, directly, and low to the water. Their wings produce a strong whistling sound that gives them their waterfowlers’ name.
Barrow’s Goldeneye – Barrow’s goldeneye has a much more restricted range than the common goldeneye. Drakes have a black head with purple iridescence marked by a crescent shaped white spot in front of the eye. The throat, breast, and belly are white. Streaked areas of black and white flank a central black strip on the back. The tail and wings are black with a white speculum. At close range, a thin dark line may be seen at the tips of the secondary coverts, dividing the white patch on he wings into two distinct regions. Females are almost identical to common goldeneyes. The white patches on the wings are less prominent on the coverts, but that feature is difficult to see in a flying bird. Flight is swift, direct, and low; and it is accompanied by the pronounced wing whistle that gives the gunner’s name whistler or Rocky Mountain whistler to the birds.
Bufflehead – Buffleheads are tiny, chunky ducks known to many waterfowlers as “butterballs.” They have large heads, which in the drakes are iridescent black with a large wedge of white extending from behind the eye to the crest of the head. The neck, breast, and belly are white. The black tail is long for a diving duck, and the back is white in front of the wings and striped black and white from there to the tail. The black wings feature large white patches that extend nearly to the bend of the wing as an irregular triangle. Hens are gray with white wing patches, a white spot behind the eye, and black wing tips and tail. Buffleheads fly in small flocks, often only two or three birds. They are very fast and usually fly low to the water.
Hooded Merganser – All mergansers are known as sawbills or fish ducks. They typically fly low and swiftly with very little twisting and turning. Mergansers appear to be quite slender, with thin, pencil-like bills. Drake hooded mergansers have a white crest that is sleeked in flight to show as a white patch on the rear half of the iridescent black head. The black neck blends into a black back and tail. The birds have a white breast and belly, with chestnut flanks. Their wings are black with a light patch on the leading edge and a streaked black and white speculum. Hens have a rusty head. They are generally brown above and dusky on the flanks and upper breast with a white belly. Their wings share the black and white streaked speculum of the male.
Common Merganser – Aside from the names used for other mergs, the common merganser is also known as the American merganser or goosander. Hens, immatures, and eclipse drakes are gray backed, rusty-headed, white-bellied birds. The rusty head contrasts sharply with the white chin patch and the white throat. The belly is entirely white and the back is gray. The speculum is white, bordered by black on both sides and on the leading edge. A black band partially divides the white patch along the length of the secondaries. Drakes in breeding plumage have a rather smooth, black head that shows green iridescence. The throat, breast, flanks, shoulders, and outer portions of the back are white. A central strip of black on the back blends into a gray tail. The inner parts of the wings are white, and the outer parts are black. Common mergs fly low, directly, and swiftly, often in lines.
Red-breasted Merganser – The female red-breasted merganser looks like a slightly smaller, slimmer version of the common merg as do immatures and eclipse drakes. These birds have a brown head that blends into the lighter neck and upper breast. The flanks and breast are dusky. The back is gray and the belly is white. The speculum is black at the outside, white on the inside of the secondaries. Drakes in breeding plumage have a black head with green iridescence. The head appears crested or shaggy in all plumages. The black back extends forward onto the neck. A white throat patch is separated from the white breast and belly by a band of rusty feathers speckled with black. The rump and tail are gray as are the flanks. In flight, the birds are direct and swift, flying in lines close to the water. Drakes show white inner wings with black tips. Hens are white only on the trailing edge of the inner wings. The white speculum is both divided and outlined by black. The white chin patch of the hen red-breasted merganser blends into the brown head while that of the common merganser shows a sharp division between the colors. Similarly, the head blends into the neck rather then contrasting sharply as it does in the common merganser.
Stiff-tailed Ducks
These birds are small, large-headed, chunky-bodied ducks with relatively short wings, very large feet, and long tails. At rest, the males often hold their tails at about 45 degrees to the water. They fly only under sever pressure, and in flight look like large bumblebees. The ruddy duck is the major North American species in this group. The masked duck, a West Indies bird, appears fairly regularly along the Texas and Louisiana coasts. They dive to feed, and often dive rather than flying to escape danger.
Ruddy Duck – During the fall and early winter, ruddy ducks of both sexes are basically gray-brown. Drakes have a light colored spot on the cheek. Hens have a light brown cheek marked with a single, darker brown stripe. Drakes often hold their tails at a 45-degree angle to the water when at rest. Both sexes have uniformly dark wings. Masked ducks have a white speculum. Ruddies are called butterballs and bull-necked teal in some areas. Their flight is usually low and fast in compact flocks. At times, their flight may seem jerky and uneven in pace.
Review of common and specially controlled species
Many birds besides waterfowl live in waterfowl habitat, so the wise duck or goose hunter needs to be able to tell the legal game from those that are protected. Except in unusual circumstances any bird that is all white is protected. Some geese are in short supply or erratic breeders, so the waterfowler must be able to identify white-fronted geese, Ross’ geese, and brant in particular. Species limits or points make it necessary to identify ducks in the air or at least in the hand. Those of particular concern include: wood ducks, with their long rectangular tail, crested head, and metallic violet-blue speculum; mallards, with the blue speculum bordered front and back by white; black ducks, with a violet or violet-blue speculum faintly bordered at the rear by white; canvasbacks, with their sloping bills and gray speculum; redheads, a darker, chunkier, round-headed version of the canvasback; and scaup, chunky divers with white stripers on their wings. Teal, pintails, and others may enter into the bag heavily in some areas; and regulations change from year to year. The waterfowler needs to stay abreast of the regulations to practice his or her identification to extract the most pleasure from their sport. Use a bird guide, Ducks at a Distance, or other resources to keep your identification sharp. That, in itself, can become a rewarding hobby.
