1. Waterfowl Comparative Sizes

2. Eclipse Plumage Most ducks shed body feathers 2x / year.
Most drakes lose bright plumage after mating & resemble females - few weeks.
Wing feathers shed only once a year,wing colors always the same.

3. Wing Features

4. Ducks at a Distance Differences in: Size Shape
Plumage patterns and colors
Wing beat
Flocking behavior
Voice
Male Drake – Female Hen

5. Puddle Ducks Shallow marshes and rivers Feed by dabbling or tipping
Speculum-irridescent or bright
May feed in crop fields -diet mostly vegetable
Take off more upright

6. Puddle Ducks Mallard Pintail Gadwall American Wigeon Shoveler
Blue-winged Teal
Green-winged Teal
Wood Duck
Black Duck

7. Puddle Ducks

8. Diving Ducks Larger,deeper lakes,rivers & coastal bays
Colored speculums not as brilliant
Huge, paddle feet often visible on flying bird.
Patter along top of water to get airborne.
Dive to feed & escape.

9. Diving Ducks Cont. Eat fish, shellfish, mollusks, & aquatic plants
2nd choice for eating.
Wings smaller in proportion to size & weight of bodies
More rapid wing beat than puddle ducks.

10. Diving Ducks Canvasback canvasback taking off Redhead Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser

11. Diving Ducks

12. Geese vs Ducks The legs and neck are long in proportion to the body.
If it quacks like a duck…….
Female=
Goose
Male=
Gander

13. Geese Canadian Snow

14. Swan Swans usually mate for life typically between 3–8 eggs.
Young swans are known as cygnets
Male and female adults are known as cob and pen.
The Northern Hemisphere species of swan all have pure white plumage

15. Trumpeter Swan

16. Common Loon Loons swim well, and fly adequately
Bones denser than most birds
Almost hopeless on land.
Locate prey underwater by sight, so prefer lakes with clear water.
Loons can live as long as 30 years.
Spear-shaped bill.
Haunting, yodeling cry

17. Loon Sounds

18. Coot Appear duck like in water More chicken like on land.
No webbed feet
Often called Mud hens
Awkward fliers

19. Next Project

20. This resource should be cited as: Hines, Robert W. No Date
This resource should be cited as: Hines, Robert W. No Date. Ducks at a distance: A waterfowl identification guide. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Southwest Natural and Cultural Heritage Association, Albuquerque, NM. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. (Version 04NOV97).