buckhunter14

I commented on tred's post about his Saturday limit, but I don't want to overtake his post.

When in the air I thought this was a young Wood Duck.
I even picked it up and thought so until I looked closer. I have never shot nor seen this duck up close.

It is a diver, and have very little white on its underside. The breast was the same color as its back. Dark brown bill (I thought it was possibly a bluebill).


Bird on the Right in both pictures.






Thanks Fellas!

Chris_H

Wow buck... thats confusing.

It definitely looks like a woodie at first glance, but the bill is noticabley thicker and a different color, the tail isn't as broad, and its missing the blue speculum on the wings... It looks lit is has just a little bit of a white ring around the eyes, but that is also not as pronounced as the woodies white eye ring...

I'm not sure what to say on this one. It looks like it could be a mixed duck...

It look almost like a redhead hen, but is missing some distinct features, such as the slightly lighter shaded ring around the front of the bill.

buckhunter14

I'm stumped, hopefully someone can shed some light. I have honestly googled every hen duck I can think of and came up with nothing.

Everything you said is exactly correct, the tail is very sparse, wider, thicker bill, missing speculum. No idea what I had on my hands?

Very smallduck though, I thought those woodies were small until I seen him zippin' in.

deke12ga

It's a hen diver... possibly being a later summer hatch, hence why so small and non colored. Looks like maybe a hen ringneck? If you were in NC I'd say thats what it was. Might be a hybrid...

buckhunter14

I have now been swayed to thnking it is a ringneck.

The only thing is hen ringnecks have a light line on their beak, this one doesn't. But thanks guys!


Anyone going out this week/weekend?

deke12ga

That threw me too, thats whyI suggested maybe a young bird such as a late summer hatch or possibly a hybrid? I dunno...

PABuck_HNTR

Maybe a scaup

Hard to tell for those pics.

check here, maybe it'll help.



http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckdist/index.htm

CAelknuts

That is a hen ring necked duck. It is probably a young 'bird of the year', but there is no doubt in my mind that it is a ringneck. You'll notice the bit of white shading on the face, that is a dead giveaway for a ring neck hen.

tred

dude its a blue bill its a hen its the same kind as in my picture! I know what it is becuse ive shot alot

buckhunter14

I thought they looked a lot alike tred. Where do you hunt in Michigan?

I live in West MI, and have a cabin north of Little Bay de Noc in the U.P.