What To Look For
Differences in size, shape, plumage patterns and colors, wing beat,
flocking behavior, voice, and habitat--all help to distinguish one
species from another.
Flock maneuvers in the air are clues. Mallards, pintails, and wigeon
form loose groups; teal and shovelers flash by in small, compact
bunches; at a distance, canvasbacks shift from waving lines to temporary
V's.
Closer up, i
shapes and sizes, lengths of wings and tails, and fat bodies or slim can
be seen.
Within shotgun range, color areas can be important. Light conditions
might make them look different, but their size and location are positive
keys. The sound of their wings can help as much as their calls. Flying
goldeneyes make a whistling sound; wood ducks move with a swish;
canvasbacks make a steady rushing sound. Not all ducks quack; many
whistle, squeal, or grunt.
Although not a hard and fast rule, different species tend to use
different types of habitat. Puddle ducks like shallow marshes and creeks
while divers prefer larger, deeper, and more open waters.
More
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Common Merganser
Length--25½ in. Weight--2½ lbs. This species is larger than the red-breasted merganser, and is one of the largest of our ducks. It is one of the last to migrate south, and is more common than the red-breasted merganser on inland waters. Fl... Diving Ducks
Diving ducks frequent the larger, deeper lakes and rivers, and coastal bays and inlets. The colored wing patches of these birds lack the brilliance of the speculums of puddle ducks. Since many of them have short tails, their huge, paddle feet m... Eclipse Plumage
Most ducks shed their body feathers twice each year. Nearly all drakes lose their bright plumage after mating, and for a few weeks resemble females. This hen-like appearance is called the eclipse plumage. The return to breeding coloration varies i... Gadwall
Length--21 Weight--2 lbs. Gadwalls are most numerous in the Central Flyway, but not too common anywhere. They are often called gray mallards or gray ducks. They are one of the earliest migrants, seldom facing cold weather. They are the only ... Goldeneye
Common--Length--19 in. Weight--2¼ lbs. Barrow's--Length--19 in. Weight--2¾ lbs. These are active, strong-winged fliers moving singly or in small flocks, often high in the air. Distinctive wing-whistling sound in flight ha... Green-winged Teal
Length--15 in. Weight--14 oz. Quite hardy--some birds stay as far north as open water is found. The smallest and one of the most common of our ducks. Their tiny size gives the impression of great speed, but mallards can fly faster. Their fli... Harlequin
Length--17 in. Weight--1½ lbs. Glossy slate-blue plumage enlivened by white stripes and spots give the adult male harlequin a striking appearance. The female resembles a small female scoter. At a distance, both sexes look black. Flight is swif... Hooded Merganser
Length--18 in. Weight--1½ lbs. Often seen in pairs, or very small flocks. Short rapid wingstrokes create an impression of great speed. Winters in the inland waters of all coastal States; seldom goes to salt water. Voice: Seldom heard in ... Identification Is Important
Identifying waterfowl gives many hours of enjoyment to millions of people. This guide will help you recognize birds on the wing--it emphasizes their fall and winter plumage patterns as well as size, shape, and flight characteristics. It does not i... Mallard
Length--24 Weight--2¾ lbs. The mallard is our most common duck, found in all flyways. The males are often called greenheads. The main wintering area is the lower Mississippi basin, and along the gulf coast, but many stay as far north as open ... Oldsquaw
Length--20½ in. Weight--2 lbs. A slim, brightly plumaged sea duck. Smaller than the scoters or eiders. Flight is swift and low with constantly changing flock formations. Ranges along both coasts and the Great Lakes. One of the most vocal ... Pintail
Length--26 Weight--1¾ lbs. These ducks use all four flyways, but are most plentiful in the west. They are extremely graceful and fast fliers, fond of zig-zagging from great heights before leveling off to land. The long neck and tail make ... Puddle Ducks
Puddle ducks are typically birds of fresh, shallow marshes and rivers rather than of large lakes and bays. They are good divers, but usually feed by dabbling or tipping rather than submerging. The speculum, or colored wing patch, is generally ir... Red-breasted Merganser
Length--23 in. Weight--2½ lbs. These birds winter most abundantly in coastal waters, including the Gulf of Mexico, and to a lesser extent, the Great Lakes. Their flight, strong and direct, is usually low over the water. They are difficult t... Redheads
Length--20 in. Weight--2½ lbs. Range coast to coast, with the largest numbers in the Central Flyway. Migratory flocks travel in V's; move in irregular formations over feeding areas. Often found associating with canvasback. In the air, they ... Ringneck
Length--17 in. Weight--2½ lbs. Similar in appearance to scaups, but more often found in fresh marshes and wooded ponds. In flight, the dark wings are different from the white-edged wings of scaup. Faint brown ring on drake's neck never show... Ruddy
Length--15½ in. Weight--1-1/3 lbs. The ruddy duck often dives or swims away from danger rather than flying. When flying, their small wings stroke so fast they resemble bumblebees. They are early to mid-fall migrants. Drakes often cock the... Scaup
Greater--Length--18½ in. Weight--2 lbs. Lesser--Length--17 in. Weight--1-7/8 lbs. Except for the wing marks, greater and lesser scaup appear nearly identical in the field. The light band near the trailing edges of the wi... Shoveler
Length--19½ Weight--1½ lbs. Shovelers, 'spoonbills' to many, are early migrants, moving out at the first frost. The largest numbers are in the Central and Pacific flyways. The usual flight is steady and direct. When startled, the small floc... Snow Geese
Length--29-31 in. Weight--6½-7½ lbs. Two races of snow geese are recognized: greater snows along the Atlantic Coast, and lesser snows elsewhere on the continent. Blue geese are a color phase of the lesser snow. ... Surf Scoter
Length--19½ in. Weight--2 lbs. Like all scoters, these birds move along our coasts in loose flocks, stringing into irregular, wavy lines. Drakes can be distinguished from other scoters by two white patches on their head and the bright color of... Swans
Trumpeter--Length--59 in. Weight--28 lbs. Whistling--Length--52 in. Weight--16 lbs. Once thought to be rare, trumpeter swans are slowly increasing in Alaska and on western refuges and parks. Whistling swans are commo... What To Look For
Differences in size, shape, plumage patterns and colors, wing beat, flocking behavior, voice, and habitat--all help to distinguish one species from another. Flock maneuvers in the air are clues. Mallards, pintails, and wigeon form loose groups;... Whistling Ducks
Length--18-19 in. Weight--1¾ lbs. The trailing legs and rounded wings of these slow flying ducks makes them look bigger than they are. Both species are primarily Mexican. In the U.S., the black-bellied is found only in south Texas and Louis... White-fronted Geese
Length--29 in. Weight--6¼ lbs. Migrates chiefly in the Central and Pacific flyways but also present in the Mississippi. Rare in the Atlantic Flyway. Appears brownish gray at a distance. Often called specklebelly. Most distinctive characteri... White-winged Scoter
Length--21½ in. Weight--3½ lbs. The three scoters on these two pages are sea ducks, wintering on open coastal waters. White-wings are among the heaviest and largest of all ducks. ... Wigeon
Length--21 Weight--1¾ lbs. These are nervous birds, quick to take alarm. Their flight is fast, irregular, with many twists and turns. In a bunched flock, their movements have been compared to those of pigeons. When open water is handy, wige... Wood Duck
Length--18½ in. Weight--1½ lbs. Found in all flyways; most numerous in the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways and fewest in the Central. They are early migrants; most of them have left the northern States by mid-November. Frequents wooded...