Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Mallard shows beautiful plumage while flying

Michael Herrera

Mallard

Mallards are all across North America. The males with their recognizable green heads and the females mottled brown plumage have become the staple pictures we think of when we hear “duck”.

 

Flock floats calmly in water

Michael Herrera

Canada Goose

There are actually 7 subtypes of Canada Geese but some general identifying features would be the typical black head and white cheeks with its brown body.

 

Wood Duck floats along the marsh

Evan Clark

Wood Duck

Unlike most waterfowl the Wood Duck actually spends much time in trees. Perching and nesting off the ground, they have sharp claws on the end of their webbed feet for the purpose of claiming and balancing on trees. Their elegant crests also set them apart!

 

American Coot sticks its head up straight

Charlene Fan

American Coot

Their bold personality matches those piercing red eyes. Despite their relation to rails which are typically more shy and difficult to observe, the American Coot is a bold and sometimes aggressive bird which will happily swim out in the open and be at home in golf courses and city ponds.

 

Green-winged Teal walks through marsh during low tide

Molly Herrmann

Green-winged Teal

The smallest of North American dabbling ducks, the Green-winged Teal’s green crescent from its eye to the back of its head along with their deep green wing patches visible in flight make it a bird that very much stands out.

 

Blue-winged Teal stands on fallen plants

NPS

Blue-winged Teal

The Blue-winged Teal’s wing patch is much more prominent than their green winged cousins. Being that their blue patch spans the entire front upper half of the wing.

 

Northern Pintails float together in water

Evan Clark

Northern Pintail

This elegant duck looks like something out of a masquerade, with its tall slender neck, long and narrow wings, and characteristic pointed tail.

 

American Black Duck rests calmly with feet in water

Michael Herrera

American Black Duck

Appearing similar to the female Mallard, males are a dark chocolate brown while females are slightly more pale. They can be distinguished from the Mallard by their white under wing.

 

Family of Common Mergansers

NPS

Common Merganser

The elegance of these ducks really stands out, the male's sleek white and black plumage and the female’s tufted yet sleek brown head give them an interesting look!

 

Hooded Merganser floats throughout marsh

Julia Gross

Hooded Merganser

These ducks definitely stand out with their large black and white hood making them easy to identify. Eating mostly fish, these ducks will hunt by sight while underwater.

 

Pied-billed Grebe swims through pond

Michael Herrera

Pied-billed Grebe

A less social species, these birds are less likely to be found in flocks than other grebes. A defining feature is their unusually thick bill that turns silver and black during the summer!

 

Pair of Northern Sholvers approaches shore

Dan Roach

Northern Shoveler

With their large spoon shaped bills, the Northern Shoveler can filter crustaceans and seeds from the marshes and wetlands they call home.

 

Bufflehead wades through the marsh

Michael Herrera

Bufflehead

The iridescent green-purple and white head on the males / brown head with a significantly smaller white marking on the females are defining characteristics for these ducks. The males have the ability to puff out their head to display for females.

 

Canvasback peers ahead while swimming

Charlene Fan

Canvasback

Both males and females have long sloping foreheads that distinguish them as Canvasbacks. The males having a brown head and gray-white body and the females are pale brown all around.