
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.
Field Notes

Just listened to Ring-necked Ducks doing the soft whistled "kerp" calls described above. I'd not heard Ring-neckeds vocalizing previously. The tonal quality is suggestive of the whistled notes of American Wigeon, only softer, single notes.
Citation: Personal Experience. I observe this regularly, highly confident.
Expanded Life History
Feed Ecology And Diet | Contribute Content |
Nesting Habits | Contribute Content |
Migration Status | Contribute Content |
Conservation Status | Contribute Content |
Local Sites to Spot | Contribute Content |
Abundance Status | Contribute Content |
Adult Male Description | Contribute Content |
Adult Female Description | Contribute Content |
ITIS Taxonomic Number | Contribute Content |
Sonogram | Contribute Content |
Courtship | Contribute Content |
Reproductive Characteristics | Contribute Content |
Relationship to Humans | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Size & Shape | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Color & Pattern | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Habitat | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Behavior | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Wingspan | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Weight | Contribute Content |
Breeding | Contribute Content |
Cool Facts | Contribute Content |
Local Knowledge | Contribute Content |
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Sightings
Date | Submitted By | Count |
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09/25/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/19/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/19/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/19/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/12/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/12/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/05/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/05/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
06/05/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
05/29/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
05/22/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
05/15/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
05/15/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
05/08/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
05/08/18 | Steven Mauvais, OR | # |
Recent Activity
Activity | Date & Time |
---|---|
Dave Irons added a note to Ring-necked Duck Notes | 3/15/2013 at 9:33AM |
Sundee Meyer added Ring-necked Duck to their Sunset Park smart list | 11/28/2012 at 5:30PM |
Jacob Parks added Ring-necked Duck to their Whitaker Ponds Natural Area smart list | 11/08/2011 at 7:54AM |
Dan Mitchell added Ring-necked Duck to their Murray Business Center, Beaverton smart list | 7/17/2011 at 8:07PM |
Dan Mitchell added Ring-necked Duck to their Phoenix Zoo smart list | 7/17/2011 at 7:36PM |