Winter is the season for watching waterfowl in the northern hemisphere. Cold temperatures drive many species of waterfowl to flock together for survival, and give birders the chance to experience huge flocks on rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. But in those large, mixed flocks, waterfowl begin to pose serious ID challenges. Here's a little quiz to brush up on your skills: Can you tell which bird in this group is the Ring-necked Duck? Extra kudos if you can ID all four diving ducks.
Did you get a good look? Check out the answer by scrolling down...
That's right, D was the correct answer!
A: Lesser Scaup
B: Common Goldeneye
C: Greater Scaup
D: Ring-necked Duck
A: Male Lesser Scaups have a lighter back than a Ring-necked duck. They're also missing that white spur on the Ring-necked duck's side.
B: Luckily, the white, round spot behind the bill helps this Common Goldeneye stand out. It also lacks the dark front of the Ring-necked Duck, and its sides are lighter.
C: Like the Lesser Scaup, the Greater Scaup here has a lighter back than a Ring-necked duck. It's much harder to tell the Lesser Scaup and Greater Scaup apart. Take a look at the shape of their heads. The Lesser Scaup has a bump on the back of its head, while the Greater Scaup has a more prominent forehead.
D: Yes! This is the male Ring-necked Duck. He has a peaked, glossy black head; dark front, rear, and back, gray sides; and a white patch at the shoulder. The white band and black tip on the bill can also help with an ID if you're close enough to see them.
So how did you do? We hope you're excited to put your new skills to practice this winter. Check out the resources below for even more Waterfowl ID information.
Waterfowl often share features in common, and telling them apart from a distance or in large groups can prove especially difficult. Learn one key strategy for identifying waterfowl from afar in this article from Living Bird Magazine.
How well do you know your ducks and waterfowl? Test your ID skills with this quick quiz from Bird Academy.