Branta bernicla HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 17 inches Wingspan: 48 inches * Sexes similar * Small coastal goose * Black head, neck, and breast * White patch on neck * Black bill, legs, and feet * White upper and undertail coverts, rump, and dark tail * Very dark wings Adult-Pacific coast * Very dark back * Blackish belly * Some white on flanks Adult-Atlantic coast * Dark back * Pale belly and flanks Similar species: Other dark geese have white face patches. Full_View |
Bucephala albeola HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 10 inches Wingspan: 24 inches * Very small compact diving duck * Very small dark gray bill * Immature female similar to adult female, but immature male has a larger white cheek patch Adult male alternate: * Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer * Dark glossy head * Large white patch on the head from behind the eye * White breast, belly and flanks * Dark back * Inner wing white and outer wing dark, visible in flight Adult male basic: * Similar to adult female but with a larger white cheek patch Adult female: * Dark brown head and body, breast and flanks paler * Oval white patch on face behind eye * White belly * White inner secondaries and otherwise dark wing, visible in flight Similar species: Female Bufflehead distinguished from female Harlequin Duck by white secondaries and single white patch behind the eye. Full_View |
Branta canadensis HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 16-25 inches Wingspan: 50-68 inches * Sexes similar * Large long-necked goose * Black bill * Black head and neck * White throat patch extends up to cheek * Brown back, upper wing and flanks * Brownish-white breast and belly * White upper tail coverts contrast with black tail * White undertail coverts * Great size variation, with some northern subspecies duck-sized * Immature similar to adult Similar species: Similar only to Brant, which has a black breast, white flanks and a small white neck patch rather than a large white throat and cheek patch. Full_View |
Aythya valisineria HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 15 inches Wingspan: 34 inches * Medium-sized diving duck * Long sloping forehead and peaked crown produce distinctive profile * Black bill * Immature female similar to adult female, immature male is similar to female in autumn, but acquires alternate plumage during winter Adult male alternate: * Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer * Red eye * Reddish head and neck * Black breast * Pale gray back and flanks * White belly * Black tail, upper- and undertail coverts Adult male basic: * Duller than alternate plumage, especially about the breast and back Adult female: * Brown eye * Brown head and neck * Pale gray back and flanks * White belly Similar species: Adult male Redhead is similar in alternate plumage to adult male Canvasback, but has yellow eye, blue bill with black tip, much grayer back and different profile. Female-plumage Redheads also have blue-gray bill with black tip, brownish body plumage without contrast between the head and body and a different profile. Full_View |
Mergus merganser HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 18 inches Wingspan: 37 inches * Large, sleek diving duck * Long, pointed bill with serrated edges * Red bill is thick at base, tapering towards tip * Sleek, tapered crest, more obvious on females than on males * Brown eye * White secondaries * Immature similar to adult female, often with a less-distinct chin patch Adult male: * Greenish-black head and upper neck * White breast, flanks and belly * Black back and upperwing coverts with white scapulars * White secondary coverts crossed with indistinct dark bar * Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer * Male in basic eclipse plumage similar to adult female Adult female: * Red-brown head meets pale breast in crisp line of division * Well-defined white chin * White breast and belly * Pale gray body plumage Similar species: Adult male in alternate plumage is somewhat similar to male Red-breasted Merganser but has white breast and flanks, and a less obvious crest. Female, immature and eclipse male distinguished from similarly-plumaged Red-breasted Mergansers by sharply-defined chin, reddish head contrasting with white breast, paler gray plumage, sleeker crest and larger bill. In winter, Common Mergansers, unlike Red-breasted Mergansers, are generally found in freshwater habitats. Full_View |
Anas penelope HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 13.5 inches Wingspan: 32 inches * Large dabbling duck * Blue bill with black nail * White secondary coverts (grayer in females) and green speculum * Gray axillars * White belly * Juvenile similar to adult female Adult male alternate: * Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer * Yellowish crown * Rufous head * Rusty breast * Pale gray back and flanks * White patch at rear portion of flanks * Black undertail coverts 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 male in alternate plumage is unmistakable. All plumages distinguished from all other dabbling ducks (except American 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 American Wigeon is similar to the rarer Eurasian Wigeon in the female plumage and is safely distinguished only in flight by its white, not gray, axillars, and sometimes by the contrast between head and back plumage. Full_View |
Anas strepera HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 14.5 inches Wingspan: 35 inches * Large dabbling duck with steep forehead * White speculum * Juvenile similar to adult female Adult male alternate: * Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer * Black bill * Brown head * Gray body * Gray and brown breast, back and upperwing coverts * Black rump, uppertail coverts and undertail coverts * White belly Adult male basic * Similar to adult female Adult female: * Gray bill with orange edges * Mottled gray, brown and white body plumage * Distinct white belly patch Similar species: Adult male in alternate plumage is unmistakable. All plumages easily identified in flight and occasionally at rest by white speculum. Females and immature at rest can be identified by their steeper head profile than similarly-plumaged Mallards, by the gray bill with orange edges, and by the distinct white belly patch. Full_View |
Aythya marila HOW TO IDENTIFY: * Length: 13 inches Wingspan: 31 inches * Small, compact diving duck * Rounded crown * Yellow eyes (brown in immatures) * Blue bill with black nail at tip * Dark wing with dark-tipped white secondaries and inner primaries and pale gray outer primaries * Immature female similar to adult female, immature male is similar to female in autumn, but acquires alternate plumage during winter Adult male alternate: * Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer * 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 Adult male basic: * Similar to adult female Adult female: * Distinct white band around base of bill * Dark brown body plumage * Whitish belly Similar species: The Greater Scaup can be distinguished from the very similar Lesser Scaup by its larger size, wing stripe that extends well into the primaries, and glossy, greenish head as an adult male in alternate plumage. Adult male Ring-necked Duck similar in alternate plumage but has quite different bill pattern, black back, grayer flanks and vertical white finger just behind black breast. The Ring-necked Duck favors freshwater habitats while the Greater Scaup prefers brackish or saltwater habitats. Very rare Tufted Duck is similar but note the distinctive tuft at the rear of the head. When the tuft is not visible, adult males have black backs. Females are very similar but usually lack white band around base of bill and have more black at the tip of the bill. The female Redhead is very similar in shape and coloration to the female Greater Scaup but it lacks the white patch at the base of the bill and has a gray wing stripe. Full_View |
greater_scaup_male.jpg Full_View |
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