The female garganey is like the male in eclipse plumage but paler. There is an obvious white spot near the bill. They sweep their heads from side to side while taking small ‘bites’ or ‘nibbles’ of the water to filter out plants. They also feed on land for seeds and grain or insects. You can find Buffleheads in small lakes and ponds with nearby poplar and aspen forests during the breeding season. In the winter, they move to protected coastal waters or shallow bays and inlets. Also known as the Brazilian Teal, this species is unique in that both males and females have similar plumage. They have a greenish-brown head, chestnut body, and striking red legs and bill. They’re native to South America and are known for their distinctive high-pitched whistle.

Notepad and Pen: Keeping a record of your sightings, including descriptions, behaviors, and locations, can be beneficial. For instance, noting the peculiar behaviors of a Northern Pintail during courtship can aid in recognizing the species in the future. Common Mergansers breed in Canada and migrate to the US. Some remain all year in northeastern and northwestern US states.Nests of Hooded Mergansers are often found in tree cavities that are about ten to twenty feet above the ground. They are usually beside or close to a water source and lined only with down feathers. Females lay seven to fifteen eggs and will incubate them all at the same time after the last egg has been laid. The incubation period usually takes just over thirty days.

Gadwall ( Mareca strepera) – 1,200 pairs/25,000 birds – native (though numbers increased by releases of captive birds) Like the female of the Greater Scaup, the female Lesser Scaup is dark brown with a clean-cut white mask near the bill. Gadwalls breed in the plains of the United States and Canada before migrating to central and southern US states and Mexico. Some remain all year on the West Coast. Goldeneyes feed mainly by diving up to depths of 4 m. They will occasionally dabble and upend in shallow water although this is usually only practised by juveniles.

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Males have a crest of long iridescent feathers and their chests are a bold chestnut color. The colorfulness does not end there – they also have bright red eyes. Garganeys rarely updend completely when feeding and tend to dip just their head or skim the surface of the water with their bill. Female Wigeons are more plain. She is a light tan color with darker brown markings, including a dark brown smudge around her eye. Teals feed by upending, dabbling, or grazing. It may also submerge its head completely, and occasionally dives. The female is similar to the male in eclipse plumage and very similar to the female mallard. The head is grey and the tail is dull. The bill has orange sides, and the legs are orange.

Just slightly smaller than the mallard and the female plumage is confusingly similar. The male plumage may seem plain but look closely at the breast and intricate ‘vermiculations’ can be seen. Some spend the summer with us but many more over winter. Gadwalls feed themselves by dabbling in shallow water. They submerge their heads until they can reach for plants and other vegetation underwater. They may occasionally feed on insects, too. Scientific Name: Anas Platyrhynchos Conservation Status: Amber Population: 61,000 – 146,000 breeding pairs Buffleheads mostly dive as they forage for food. They catch mollusks, crustaceans, and aquatic insects, which they eat while underwater.

Sea Ducks

Buffleheads were originally called “Buffalo Heads” because of their large heads. Over time, this became “bufflehead.” Buffleheads Buffleheads (male) The Lesser Scaup is usually found in shallow, marshy habitat, not in deep water where the Greater Scaup is seen. They are also a few centimetres shorter in length. Lesser Scaup (male) Many countries have hunting regulations that specify which species can be hunted, when, and in what numbers. Accurate identification is crucial for hunters to remain within legal and ethical bounds. Nesting happens on cliff ledges in small nooks and crannies, along with holes in trees. Occasionally, a nest is on the ground. Females and non-breeding males have reddish-brown spiky crests, red eyes, long, red bills, white throats, and gray bodies.

Surf Scoters breed in northern Canada and Alaska before migrating to the US coasts and Canadian coast. These females are well known for stealing other birds’ nests to lay thier own eggs in without doing any of the work.Females and males can easily be differentiated from each other. Males have a lighter head and a yellow bill, whereas females have a darker head and a pale olive bill.