At this time of the year several species of ducks migrate into my area and take up residence for the winter. One of the most distinctive species is the Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris), especially the male. Even from a distance you can notice the oddly peaked head and when you move in closer you can see the multi-colored bill and the bright yellow eyes if it is a male. As is most often the case with birds, the females are less colorful in appearance, though, as you can see from the final photo, they are quite beautiful.
I spotted a small flock of these ducks yesterday in a nearby suburban manmade pond where I have seen then annually for at least the last five years. Although Ring-necked Ducks are diving ducks, they don’t seem to require really deep water.
So where is the ring around the neck? According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “This bird’s common name (and its scientific name “collaris,” too) refer to the Ring-necked Duck’s hard-to-see chestnut collar on its black neck. It’s not a good field mark to use for identifying the bird, but it jumped out to the nineteenth century biologists that described the species using dead specimens.”
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
I live watching ducks, Mike. Great photos.
Thanks, Dan. Compared to the summers, when I see mostly mallards, there are lots of cool ducks to be seen at this time of the year. When I see my first Northern Shoveler, I will think of you. (If you don’t remember what one looks like, here is a link to a post I did a few years ago (https://michaelqpowell.com/2017/01/16/shy-shoveler/) .
Thanks for that link. I remember that photo from the look you were getting.
The buff female is quite pretty!
That’s handsome bill on the male.
We also get wintering duck species on Clopper Lake, in Seneca Creek State Park (across the Potomac in MD), but they are usually too far away for me to get a good ID even with my (admittedly cheap) binoculars. I know there are Buffleheads and Hooded Mergansers (my favorites!), but I’m wondering if there might not be some Ringnecks too. Is that a white side patch on the male’s body? I often see flashes of white on these winter ducks. The first image doesn’t show it, but the second one seems to. And I agree that the Ringnecked female is lovely.
There is a white side patch on the male’s body, though you can’t always see it. What I have learned over time is that color and pattern, especially on the body, can be quite variable depending on the age of the bird, the lighting, and the gender. I did in fact see a couple of buffleheads the other day too, along with a double-crested cormorant and pied-bill grebe. The species are often intermixed, so I end up having to look very carefully to see if I spot an “odd duck.”