Geese, Ducks, Mergansers

American Black Duck, Anas rubripes

Family Anatidae (Geese, Ducks, Mergansers)

Size: 23"

Season: Year-round

Habitat: Lakes, ponds, saltwater and freshwater marshes, estuaries

The American Black Duck is easily overlooked because of its similarity to the female mallard. It is shaped just like a mallard, with a robust body and large bill, and shares the same dabbling behavior when feeding, probing for aquatic plants and invertebrates with its tail end pointed up out of the water. Overall, however, American black ducks are darker, an overall deep gray-brown, with only thin, paler edges to the flank and mantle feathers. The head and neck are paler gray with a dark eye stripe. Males and females are similar, but males have a light yellow-green bill while females have a dark, olive-green bill. In flight note the highly contrasting underwings and the deep-blue speculum, which has no white border. The adult is illustrated here.