Red Crested Pochard:
European and Asian species, breeding mainly in Russia.  Bright red bushy crest is obvious in males.  Although very good at diving for food, they may dabble or up-end for food.

Rosybill Pochard:
Southern South American species with obvious bright pink knob on the forehead of males, which swells during the breeding season and brightens in color.  Has the peculiar habit of jumping into a dive instead of sinking under like most divers.

Canvasback:
A strictly North American species, which is the largest of the pochards with a long tapering bill and sloping forehead.  The head has a wedge-shaped profile.  One of the fastest flying ducks, they utilize a v-shaped formation while migrating like geese to increase efficiency.

Redhead:
A North American pochard, smaller than the canvasback and closely related to the European pochard.  The male redhead can be differentiated by its yellow iris, as compared to the canvasback and European pochard, which have a red iris.

Ferruginous White-Eye:
A small Eurasian species with a deep chestnut coloration.  Male has a bright white iris, while the female resembles a tufted duck female with a brown iris.

Ring-Necked Duck:
A small North American diving duck.  The name is confusing, as the ring on the base of the neck is only visible while in hand.  The more often used name is the Ringbill, because of the white ring on the bill of both sexes.

Tufted Duck:
A widespread diver from Europe and Asia.  The males are easy to identify by the long crest on the back of the head.  Females do not have as long a crest.  They obtain food entirely by diving.

Lesser Scaup:
A North American species, primarily on the West Coast.  The most numerous diving duck in North America.  Stays inland except for bad winters, which it spends at sea.  Far more numerous than the greater scaup in the United States.  Barring on the sides distinguishes it from the Greater Scaup.

Greater Scaup:
Ranges across Pacific North America and all of northern Europe and Asia.  Larger than the lesser scaup with no barring on the flanks.  Not possible to distinguish the two from long distances.  It is more adept at sea life than the lesser scaup.

Common Goldeneye:
Ranges all across the northern United States, Europe, and Asia.  Drakes plumage is a distinct black and white pattern.  Loud whistling produced by the wings while flying is characteristic of this species.  Green sheen to head with circular spot near bill identifies it compared to the male Barrow's Goldeneye; females are similar.  Nests in tree holes and duck boxes.

Barrow's Goldeneye:
Breeds across the entire northern North America.  Distinguished from the common goldeneye by purple sheen to head, crescent shape spot on face, and the line of white spots on the wing.  Also makes a whistle with the wings while in flight.  A strong flier but needs to run for quite some time along the water to become airborne on windless days.  Also nests in dead or dying trees or duck boxes.

Bufflehead:
Ranges across northern North America.  Much smaller than the other two species of Goldeneyes.  Short neck with small bill and a head puffed out to almost twice its normal size (hence the original name of Buffalo- Head).  No whistling wings like the other goldeneyes.  Very active and restless.  Nests in tree holes and duck boxes.

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Last modified: May 23, 2003