American Black Ducks

[pauraque]

I saw this pair of American Black Ducks recently.



Widespread in the eastern US and Canada, they're often mistaken for female or nonbreeding male Mallards, since they're the same size and shape and have similar markings. It was nice to get a good clear look at some of the differences. Their bodies are darker than the typical Mallard (though not actually black) with contrastingly pale heads. The male (with the yellow bill) has no white or curly tailfeathers and not even a smudge of green on his head. The female's bill is olive-gray with no orange on it.

The female also helpfully displayed her wing patch when she was preening:



Both species have violet-blue wing patches which are most visible in flight, but Mallards have distinct white borders at the top and bottom of the patch. American Black Ducks have black borders.

The lake was actually still mostly frozen, and they were swimming in a relatively small melted area. I'm sure it was cold out there!

Comments

[cmcmck]

It's mallards we see regularly here.

[pauraque]

Yes, they're common year-round across most of the US and Europe!

[ioplokon]

Thanks for the ornithology lesson! :)

[pauraque]

My pleasure!

[yourlibrarian]

Huh, I would never have guessed!

[pauraque]

They do look very alike!

[shirebound]

You taught me things. :)

[pauraque]

Glad to be of service!

[pameladean]

That's a very useful lesson! I've never knowingly seen a black duck.

P.

[pauraque]

I'm sure I saw many before realizing they were a different species!

[a_natural_beauty]

Beautiful photo! Those ducks look pretty happy.. :-)

[pauraque]

Probably pleased to find some water that isn't frozen over!

[a_natural_beauty]

Yes, that is a good point!

[egret]

Lovely ducks!

[pauraque]

Agreed!

[iddewes]

Interesting! I’m sure I would have thought they were mallards.

[pauraque]

You wouldn't have been alone in that!

[sparowe]

Your photos helped me realise I've now seen both! Thanks. :)

[pauraque]

Excellent! My job here is done. :)

[turlough]

Fascinating! I can see why people can mistake them for mallards from a distance but up close like this the pale head is a dead giveaway that they're not.

[pauraque]

Yeah, once you know they do look quite different! Then you only have to worry about the fact that it's not uncommon for them to hybridize. :)