A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Aythya collaris
wild life reserve
Tufted Ducks in California would be a great sighting! They're rare vagrants here. A single Tuftie drake in Washington caused a twitch among Northwestern birders recently (bird is still continuing actually).
Ring-necked Duck is the name of your birds (I also see a Bufflehead [Bucephala albeola] in there). Their name comes from a chestnut ring around the neck of the drake (visible in photo 2). I too think Ring-billed Duck would be a more appropriate name, as the chestnut collar isn't always visible.
Hmm, maybe the use different names some places... But the Tufted Duck have that tuft on the head.
Maybe Liam know?
According to this link it is also known as "Tufted Duck", or' Ring-bill Duck" in Kentucky.
http://web4.audubon.org/bird/BoA/F39_G5d...
It says Ring-necked duck on Wikipedia and eol.org... But Ring billed duck would be a better name on that duck