There is a first time for everything. One morning, as I looked out our dining room windows, I noticed some pond visitors I had not seen before. These ducks were far, but I identified them in iNaturalist: Ring-Necked Duck (Aythya collaris). Here is what I got.
The distinctive colors were the first sign I noticed in my photos. While males are black, gray, and white, females have a richer brown tone. Both have a distinctive white ring around their bill, not their necks. You can see that characteristic in the photos below (click to enlarge them).
These are small-to-medium-sized ducks that enjoy diving for their food. They can be found all over North America in freshwater marshes and bogs. During winter, they migrate to coastal areas, lakes, and ponds. I believe that once winter is over, they will fly north.
In another pond about a mile (1.6 km) from home, I saw a large group of these Ring-Necked ducks together with others (Canvasback ducks). Forming large flocks is another characteristic of these ducks, especially during migration. In the photo above, you can see several males and females.
You can read more about Ring-Necked ducks on Cornell Lab’s All About Birds site.
That’s the story behind the shots. If you liked these photos, you might also be interested in other posts featuring Bird of the Week, Round Rock, Teravista, Texas, and Wildlife. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
Posted for I.J. Khanewala’s Birds of the Week Invitation C.
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Anne Sandler
Cute little ducks Egidio. Unfortunately I don’t live near the pond in our complex, but I can walk there.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Anne. I am waiting for it to warm up to take another stroll to the other pond, where they congregate. I may be able to approach them from a different angle and get more photos.
Amy
How wonderful to be so close to the pond! Lovely ducks. 🙂
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Amy. It is wonderful to be this close to wildlife.
I. J. Khanewala
Another American bird which I’ve never seen before. Thank you.
Egidio Leitao
I.J., when I saw they were native to North America, I thought you might appreciate the post more. I’m glad I was able to bring something new to your eyes. I’m hoping for warmer weather to go check out the other pond and get other shots of them. Right now, we’ve been having below freezing temperatures since this past weekend. We even had some snow here yesterday. It’s all melted now.
Vicki
I still can’t believe you are lucky enough to see the pond and its birdlife from inside your home. I guess every single day you see more and more to appreciate with your new home.
Egidio Leitao
I can’t believe it either, Vicki. I have to say that when we first looked at this home, that pond drew us both in. We wanted to have this home. Every day is an unexpected surprise. Thanks for writing.
Natalie
Egidio, I enjoyed seeing the ring-necked ducks through your lens. I’m in Toronto and in winter I see many long-tailed ducks and mergansers.
Egidio Leitao
Natalie, those ring-necked ducks probably come from your area. I’m glad you liked seeing the photos.