Ring-necked Duck

General Description

A compact duck with a peaked head, the Ring-necked Duck does have a ringed neck, but the ring is almost never visible in the field. Overall, the Ring-necked Duck is similar in appearance to both the Greater and Lesser Scaups. The male Ring-necked Duck in breeding plumage has a deep-black, iridescent head, breast, and rump, and light flanks. Unlike the scaups, the Male Ring-necked Duck has a black back. He also has a white spur at the shoulder, gray bill outlined with white and with a white ring near the black tip, and yellow eyes. The male in non-breeding plumage is browner on the flanks, but with a darker head, breast, and back. Its bill lacks the white outline, and has a black tip. The Female Ring-necked Duck looks similar to female Greater and Lesser Scaups. She is brown overall with lighter-gray cheeks. Like the scaups, she has a white crescent at the base of her bill, although it is less distinctive than that of either the Greater or Lesser Scaup. The Female Ring-necked Duck can be distinguished from the scaups by the thin, white eye-ring that trails back to her ear, and the peaked shape of her head, as well as by differing habitat. Juveniles look like females.

Ring-necked Ducks are Common in Western Washington from October-May can start returning in July.

Habitat

Ring-necked Ducks nest in small, wooded ponds in boreal forests and some prairie regions. In migration and during winter, they inhabit ponds, lakes, slow-moving rivers, and occasionally coastal estuaries, but generally do not inhabit saltwater bays. Shallow, freshwater marshes with dense stands of submergent and emergent vegetation are preferred in all seasons.

Behavior

The Ring-necked Duck forages by diving, but is usually found in shallow water and forages and dabbles at the surface as well. This duck is strong and fast and, unlike many diving ducks, can take flight directly from the water without a running start.

Female

Male