waterfowl identification id - 2012.pdf · puddle ducks • mallard • american black duck •...

WATERFOWL IDENTIFICATION

Wing Feather Nomenclature

(and ALULAR COVERTS)

MARGINAL COVERTS

(GREATER)

SCAPULARS

Note: Primary and secondary flight feathers are called REMIGES Tail feathers are called RETRICES (singular = RETRIX)

Swans

• Trumpeter swan • Tundra swan • Mute swan

Trumpeter Swan

Tundra Swan

Mute Swan

Geese

• Canada goose • Greater white-fronted goose • Snow goose • Ross’ goose • Brant

Canada Goose (not Canadian Goose!)

Greater White-fronted

Goose

Snow Goose

white morph

blue morph

Ross’ Goose

Snow goose on left;

Ross’ goose on right

Brant

Puddle Ducks • Mallard • American black duck • American wigeon and Eurasian wigeon • Blue-winged teal • Cinnamon teal • Green-winged teal • Gadwall • Northern pintail • Northern shoveler • Wood duck

Mallard

Male

Female

American Black Duck

Male on left; Female on right

American Wigeon

Male

Male

Female

Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian wigeon with American wigeon

Male

Male and female

Gadwall Female

male Male

Blue-winged Teal

Female

Male

Male

Cinnamon Teal

Male

Female

Green-winged Teal

Female

Male

Northern Shoveler

Female

Male

Northern Pintail

Female

Male

Wood Duck

Female

Male

Bay Ducks

• Canvasback • Greater scaup • Lesser scaup • Redhead • Ring-necked duck

Canvasback

Male

Female

Redhead

Female Male

Lesser Scaup

Male

Female

Greater Scaup

Female

Male

Ring-necked Duck

Sea Ducks • Bufflehead • Barrow’s goldeneye • Common goldeneye • Harlequin duck • Long-tailed duck • Common merganser • Hooded merganser • Red-breasted merganser

• Common eider • Spectacled eider • King eider • Steller’s eider • Black scoter • Surf scoter • White-winged scoter

Bufflehead Female

Male

Harlequin Duck

male

female

male

Common Goldeneye

Male

Female

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Female

Male

Long-tailed Duck

Male

Female

Common Merganser

Male

Female

Red-breasted Merganser

Male Female

Hooded Merganser

Eiders

Common Eider

Spectacled Eider

King Eider

Steller’s Eider

Scoters

Black Scoter Surf Scoter

White-winged Scoter

Stiff-tailed Ducks

• Ruddy duck

Ruddy Duck

Male and female

Male