Ring-necked Duck

Description:

Ring-necked Ducks are small to medium sized diving ducks. The adult male is similar in color pattern to the Eurasian Tufted Duck, its relative. Males are a little bit bigger than the female. It has two white rings surrounding its gray bill, a shiny black angular head, black back, white line on the wings, a white breast and yellow eyes. The adult female has a grayish brown angular head and body with a dark brown back, a dark bill with a more subtle light band than the male, grayish-blue feet and brown eyes with white rings surrounding them.

Habitat:

Winter months they are usually found in southern North America in lakes, ponds, rivers or bays. Ring-necked Duck pairs start during spring migration. Unpaired ducks showing up on breeding grounds will most likely end up being non-breeders. This pair was photographed at the Aiken Gopher Tortoise Heritage Preserve near Windsor (Aiken County), SC.

Notes:

This pair is likely ready to start the breeding season.