Waterfowl Identification

Waterfowl Identification

Habitat

• Wetlands & ponds– Usually fresh water

• Food– Plants– Fish– Insects

• Drake= Mature Male Duck• Hens= Mature Female Duck• Duckling= Young ducks

Mallard

• Medium• Somewhat domesticated• Common

Pintail

• Extremely Shy/Wary• Long pointed tail

Gadwall

• Mistaken for a Mallard• More agile

American Wigeon

Wood Duck

Common Goldeneye

Canvasback

• Largest• Fastest• Bill Shape

Red Head

• Confused with Canvasback• Rounder Head

Ring-Necked Duck

• Whitish ring around tip of their bill

Shoveler

• Mistaken for a Mallard• “Spoonbills”

Green Winged Teal

Scaup

• Blue bill• White band along back of wing

Coot

Canada Geese

Snow Goose

Tundra Swan

Trumpeter Swan

Wilson’s Snipe

Sand Hill Crane

Great Blue Heron

Conservation

• Federal Duck Stamp– Required to hunt migratory birds– 98% of funds go towards waterfowl conservation

Federal Duck Stamp

• President Hoover started the program 1929• Stamps are available in every state and in a

few foreign countries