It looks like a shoveler to me Bruce but what breed I don't know.Good shot
angler wrote:
It looks like a shoveler to me Bruce but what breed I don't know.Good shot
Bill too short for a shoveler. If I can find my Nat Geo Guide I will do a search but it get hard since many ducks, esp mallards will cross breed.
Found my Nat Geo Field Guide to Birds of North America (5th Ed) - it appears to be either a Greater or Lesser Scaup - need a closer shot to tell.
Not a Shoveler. I am thinking it is Scaup male, moving toward full breeding colors. I first thought Greater Scaup due to head shape, but I do see a purple shine on the head and that may mean a Lesser Scaup.
Anyone agree?
To whom it may concern.
You cannot possibly have seen a shoveler, Anias clypeata, and had it correctly IDed for you.
They have a bright green head, similar colors to a male mallard, but a very large and wide bill. Nothing like this bird. Shovelers prefer fresh water.
This duck, Aythya marika, is a Greater Scaup, also called Bluebill.
This is a male at least two years old.
I have seen flocks of them on the Chesapeake Bay that look to be acres of birds. The roar when they take off is LOUD.
One of the predominant species on the east coast in winter.
Bill
Katydid wrote:
Not a Shoveler. I am thinking it is Scaup male, moving toward full breeding colors. I first thought Greater Scaup due to head shape, but I do see a purple shine on the head and that may mean a Lesser Scaup.
Anyone agree?
I agree, see my post.
Greater has a rounded head, lesser has a more peaked, oval head.
Easiest fieldmark to distinguish the two.
Bill
Ring necked Duck....breeding Male
phlash46
Loc: Westchester County, New York
Katydid wrote:
Not a Shoveler. I am thinking it is Scaup male, moving toward full breeding colors. I first thought Greater Scaup due to head shape, but I do see a purple shine on the head and that may mean a Lesser Scaup.
Anyone agree?
The head is definitely shiny purple. Pretty bird.
couldn't post a photo on here so I posted separately...It is a Ring necked duck. a breeding male
Reconvic wrote:
couldn't post a photo on here so I posted separately...It is a Ring necked duck. a breeding male
Where is the white ring on the bill? And the white at base of Bill. And back too dark, 'forehead' slopes too much.
Bill
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