This diving duck has a short crest that creates a distinctive peak at the back of the crown. This unique head shape distinguishes this species from similar diving ducks. Male: Black head, breast, back, and tail area. The head may show a purple sheen. The slate bill is outlined in white at the base, and has a white subterminal band and a black tip. The sides are finely barred gray, and the belly is white. A white wedge separates the breast from the sides. There is always obvious contrast between the light gray flanks and the near black back. In Summer and early Fall adult males assume a duller overall appearance with minimal head iridescence, dingy gray-brown flanks, sooty brown rather than black on the back and breast, and a less patterned bill. Female: Gray-brown overall with a whitish belly. The crown is dark, but the cheeks are paler gray, fading to whitish near the base of the bill. Females show a white eye ring, and sometimes a pale line extending back from the eye. The bill pattern is similar to that of the male, but lacks the white border at the base.

The very squared off hindcrown and highly patterned bill help distinguish this species from superficially similar Lesser and Greater Scaup. Males of both scaup species are generally paler (closer to white) on the flanks and and far less flank to back contrast. Female and immature scaup lack the white eye ring and the lack the crown to cheek contrast shown by female and immature Ring-necked Ducks. Adult male Tufted Ducks have gleaming white sides, a more rounded hindcrown and typically display unique elongated feathers extending off the hindcrown. Aside from their dark backs, female and immature Tufted Ducks are more suggestive of scaup in that they lack the white eyering and the distinctive angular head shape. Female Redheads are more uniform brown overall, with minimal if any contrast between the back and the flanks and the their pale eyering is much less obvious.

Length: 36 (cm) Wingspan: 61 (cm)

Voice:

Usually quiet. Female gives a muffled kerp.

Habitat:

Freshwater wetlands, shallow lakes.

Behavior:

Feeding:

Dives and dabbles for aquatic plant seeds and tubers, and aquatic invertebrates.