Naturalist Notebook

Male Duck Key

In winter the ducks arrive at ponds and lakes in our area. This is an excellent time to view them and learn to differentiate between species. Winter is breeding time and the males are decked out in their brightly colored winter plumage. After the courtship displays end, the males shed their dancing clothes and settle down into a more domestic, dull, cryptic pattern known as "eclipse plumage".

The females are always found in close association with the males and can be identified by the company with which they are keeping. With this in mind, a key for duck identification is made simpler by homing in on the prominent features of the males in breeding plumage. The following key is for the 18 species of ducks that can be spotted in North Central Texas. I have not field tested it yet, so feel free to inform me of any additional identifying features that should be added or problems encountered in using it. This key applies only to male ducks and is employed to best advantage with ducks on land or in the water.

Note: The letters in parentheses found to the right of the duck’s name refer to how frequently it is sighted. This information is from Jim Peterson’s, Birds of Cedar Hill State Park and the Joe Pool Recreation Area: A Field checklist. The 1st letter denotes its abundance in fall and the 2nd letter refers to its winter status.

A - Abundant - Almost certainly to be seen in large numbers

C - Common - Usually found on 75% of trips to the proper habitat

F - Frequent / Fairly Common- Usually found on 50% of trips to the proper habitat

U - Uncommon - Usually found on 25% of trips to the proper habitat

R - Rare - Usually found less than 10% of trips to the proper habitat

I - Irregular - Unpredictable

Reference:

Moore, Gayland A. Waterfowl of Texas. Texas Parks & Wildlife, September 1989, pp. 21-32

Peterson, Jim. (Compiler). Birds of Cedar Hill State Park and the Joe Pool Recreation Area: A Field checklist. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 1990

Peterson, Roger Tory. How to Know the Birds. New York, New York: Signet Books. 1949

Tveten John L. The Birds of Texas. Fredricksburg, Texas: Shearer Publishing, 1993.

Wernert, Susan J. (Ed.). North American Wildlife. Pleasantville, New York: The Readers Digest Association. 1982

Key For Male Ducks In Breeding Plumage For North Central Texas

1. Head color is gray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gadwall (C,F)

1. Head color is red, reddish-brown or brown

2. White neck extends upwards into a stripe that terminates at the back of

the head; Long black central tail feathers extending well beyond the rest

of the wedge shaped tail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Northern Pintail (U,U)

2. Color of head terminates abruptly into black breast followed by white to

gray wings & back.

3. Long neck; "ski-slope" shaped head and bill; white back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Canvasback (F,F)

3. Short neck; rounded head; gray back. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Redhead (U,R)

1. Head color is green

4. Beak is yellow/orange; distinctive white ring at base of neck. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mallard (C,C)

4. Beak is blue-gray to black

5. Beak is wide and shovel-shaped at tip; white breast; brown sides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Northern Shoveler (F,F)

5. Round white spot before its eye; white bodied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Common Goldeneye (U,U)

5. Black breast; white sides; black tail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greater Scaup (R,R)

1. Head color is dark purple to black

6. Long, thin orange bill; shaggy crested, black head; upper neck is white . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Red-breasted Merganser (I,I)

6. Blue bill; black head with purple gloss; white sides; black tail

7. Beak is pale blue with no markings; back is nearly white. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesser Scaup (F,F)

7. Blue beak with black tip and white ring; back is black, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ring-necked Duck (F,F)

1. Head is multi-colored

8. Head is mostly black (or dark blue gray) with a prominent white patch

9. Bill is black (or very dark)

10. Head is dark blue gray (or seemingly black) with a broad white

crescent in front of the eyes; mottled brown body. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Blue-winged Teal (C,U)

10. Black head with black-edged, white fan-shaped crest; white breast

with black stripes cutting through it; black back; chestnut brown

sides; (female with yellow-orange bill). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hooded Merganser (R,R)

9. Bill is blue

11. Black head with greenish gloss and large bright white triangular

patch extending backwards from eyes to cover most of the back

of the head; black back with white sides. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bufflehead (F,F)

11. Black head with white cheek patch; rich, ruddy chestnut colored

sides; long spiky tail feathers held erect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruddy Duck (F,F)

8. Head is mostly green, brown or dirty white with other colors apparent

12. Orange bill with black tip; head is green with complex white pattern;

breast is rusty red-brown bordered by a white stripe; rusty patch just

before black tail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wood Duck (F,F)

12. Black bill; head with green patch around eye, extending to back of head,

remainder of head is rusty brown; prominent vertical white stripe on

each side of the gray body. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Green-winged Teal (F,F)

12. Blue bill with black tip; head is dirty white with green patches extending

back from the eyes; pinkish-brown breast and sides, with horizontal

bright white patch on wings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .American Wigeon (F,F)

Natural History of North Central Texas Index
 

Royce & LuCretia Milam Copyright © November 1995 Wild Vision. All rights reserved.