Coastal Carolina

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Anas rubripes HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 16 inches Wingspan: 36 inches * Large dabbling duck * Pale gray-brown face * Dark brown cap and eye line * Dark brown breast, belly, back and upper wing * Purple speculum without white borders * Bright silvery wing linings * Immature similar to adult Adult male: * Greenish-yellow bill * Legs frequently bright red Adult female: * Greenish bill with black patches * Legs generally orange Similar species: Female, immature and eclipse male Mallards are much paler, without contrast between head and body and with white borders to a blue speculum. Hybrid Mallard x Black Ducks are often seen and usually have traces of the mallard plumage, with bluer speculum usually bordered with white on one or both edges. Mottled Duck is similar, with broader brown edgings to upperparts and bluer speculum. Female Gadwalls have a steeper forehead, gray bill, white belly, and usually shows white in the wing.

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Anas americana HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 14 inches Wingspan: 34 inches * Large dabbling duck * Blue bill with black nail * White secondary coverts (grayer in females) and green speculum * White axillars * White belly * Juvenile similar to adult female Adult male alternate: * Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer * 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 Adult male basic: * Similar to adult female but usually retains rusty flanks and white forewing Adult female: * Blue bill with black tip * Mottled dark brown body plumage with rustier flanks contrasting with paler head and neck * Dusky eye patch Similar species: Adult in alternate plumage is unmistakable. All plumages distinguished from all other dabbling ducks (except Eurasian Wigeon) by pale gray or white secondary coverts in flight. At rest Wigeon have a distinctive steep forehead and gently sloped rear part of the head, as well as pale blue bills. The rare Eurasian Wigeon is very similar in female, immature and eclipse male plumages and is safely distinguished only in flight by its gray, not white, axillars, and sometimes by the lack of contrast between head and back plumage.

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Melanitta nigra HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 14 inches Wingspan: 33 inches * Medium-sized diving duck * Dark bill * Rounded head * Paler undersides of flight feathers contrasting with darker wing linings Adult male: * Entirely black plumage * Bright orange patch at base of bill * Immature male similar to female but has yellow patch at base of bill Adult female: * Dark crown and rear of head contrasting with paler face * Very dark plumage * Immature females somewhat paler Similar species: With its black plumage and bright orange base to the bill the male Black Scoter is unlikely to be confused with any other duck. The orange patch on the bill is visible from considerable distances, even in flight. The dark brown plumage of females and immatures is similar to that found in other female scoters. Note that the Black Scoter has a rounder head and lacks white patches on the face instead having a pale face contrasting with a dark crown. In flight, note the paler undersides to the flight feathers contrasting with the dark wing linings. The round head and dark plumage of the female Black Scoter is somewhat reminiscent of the American Black Duck but the bill of the black duck is greenish, not black.

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Anas discors HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 11 inches Wingspan: 24 inches * Small dabbling duck * Medium-sized bill without spatulate tip * Pale blue upper secondary coverts * Green speculum with white leading edge * Dark bill * Juvenile similar to adult female Adult male alternate: * Alternate plumage worn from early winter through early summer * 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 Adult male basic * Similar to adult female, but forewing brighter Adult female: * Pale head * Dark crown and eye line * Pale eye ring, and loral spot * Mottled gray-brown body plumage with darker back Similar species: Adult in alternate plumage is unmistakable. Female, immature and eclipse male similar to Green-winged and Cinnamon Teals. Note the small size and small bill of the Green-winged Teals as well as the green speculum. Cinnamon Teal is very difficult to distinguish in some (female) plumages, but note the smaller bill without a spatulate tip and the more distinct facial pattern (pale loral spot and more distinct eye line) of the Blue-winged Teal.

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HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 11 inches Wingspan: 24 inches * Small dabbling duck * Medium-sized bill without spatulate tip * Pale blue upper secondary coverts * Green speculum with white leading edge * Dark bill * Juvenile similar to adult female Adult male alternate: * Alternate plumage worn from early winter through early summer * 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 Adult male basic * Similar to adult female, but forewing brighter Adult female: * Pale head * Dark crown and eye line * Pale eye ring, and loral spot * Mottled gray-brown body plumage with darker back Similar species: Adult in alternate plumage is unmistakable. Female, immature and eclipse male similar to Green-winged and Cinnamon Teals. Note the small size and small bill of the Green-winged Teals as well as the green speculum. Cinnamon Teal is very difficult to distinguish in some (female) plumages, but note the smaller bill without a spatulate tip and the more distinct facial pattern (pale loral spot and more distinct eye line) of the Blue-winged Teal.

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