Ring-necked duck
Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)
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The ring-necked duck is one of the most abundant ducks of the western Canadian boreal forest.
Appearance: The ring-necked duck is misleadingly named for the chestnut-coloured ring around the black neck of the breeding male, as is it is barely visible when identifying birds from a distance. Male has a black back, a white triangle in front of the folded wing, an angular head, white bars on the bill and uniformly dark wings. Females resemble scaup and redhead females with the angular head, white band near the bill tip.
Breeding: Pairing occurs during spring migration so unpaired ducks arriving at breeding grounds are likely non-breeders. Females build nests over water in emergent vegetation on wetland fringes. Lays an average of nine eggs and incubates them for 25 to 29 days.
Habitat: Prefer shallow wetlands fringed with emergent, submergent or floating vegetation like bulrush, pondweed and pond lily. Wintering ring-necks can be found on wild rice lakes.
Range: Core breeding area is the boreal forest of the Canadian prairies and parts of the Northwest Territories. Ring-necks winter across most of the southern and coastal U.S. as well as Mexico and the Caribbean.
Diet: Feed by shallow dives. Eat mostly plant matter like seeds and tubers of submergent vegetation, but also feeds on snails, insects, leeches and other aquatic invertebrates.
Interesting facts: About 85 per cent of ring-necks are counted in the boreal forest. The prairie pothole is largely avoided by ring-necked ducks.
