Seven days ago I found a Ring-necked Duck and an odd Lesser Scaup drake at my local pond. The scaup puzzled me and I wondered if he might be a hybrid.
Ring-necked Duck and an odd Lesser Scaup
Even though these drake diving ducks were a long way off, and the light was awful that day, I took quite a few images of them because I wanted some documentary photos. This image will not end up in my photo galleries; the quality of it is just that poor.
If you are wondering why I thought the scaup might be a hybrid, it is because of a key identification feature that Ring-necked Ducks have that Lesser Scaups usually don’t.
That feature?
It is a distinctive triangular white wedge, or spur, extending upward in the area in front of the folded wing of Ring-necked Duck drakes. That spur can be seen from long distances.
Ring-necked Duck and Lesser Scaup with spurs circled
Because I had personally never seen a hybrid Ring-necked x Lesser Scaup, I shared this image with the American Birding Association’s (ABA) “What’s This Bird” Facebook group, where I am a member. It is a terrific, informative group for bird identification by the admins and group members.
One of the members asked what the spur was that I mentioned in my query so I edited the photo to show the spurs on both ducks and shared it with the group.
The consensus in the group was that the Lesser Scaup wasn’t a hybrid, that it was a Lesser Scaup. It might have been the posture of the scaup that caused the light colored “spur” to show like it did when I observed and photographed the bird.
My Bird Identification Skills
I usually don’t have trouble identifying the birds of North America. I’ve been studying them and nature since I was a child. I get frequent identification queries by email, text, and messages because I know birds well.
While I am good at bird identification, I’m even better at finding birds.
Still, I don’t consider myself a bird ID expert and wouldn’t pretend or claim to be one. That wouldn’t feel authentic to me. Being authentic is extremely important to me in my daily life, and that extends to my website and the stories behind my images.
With that said, I want to be crystal clear: there is no shame in asking for help with identification.
That is how we learn. It can also be a crucial step in the learning process.
Ring-necked Duck on pastel water & ice
These last two images have been shared on my site before in other posts, but I wanted to include them because my image of the two diving ducks together was, and is, of pretty poor quality.
This photo of a drake Ring-necked Duck shows the “spur” identification feature of this diving duck species well. Female Ring-necked Ducks also have a spur, but it is brown and not nearly as noticeable all the time.
Lesser Scaup drake floating on a pond
The final image I am sharing today is of a normal Lesser Scaup drake. There is no spur, not even a hint of one, which is why I was puzzled about the drake scaup I photographed on January 13th.
Thanks to the ABA “What’s This Bird” Facebook group, I don’t have to wonder about that scaup being a hybrid. I have my answer. It isn’t.
I am happy to learn something new about birds, nature, and life every day.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Ring-necked Duck photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here to see more of my Lesser Scaup photos plus facts and information about this species.
Extraordinary pics to go along with your wonderful narrative. Thanks Mia.
A few days ago I saw a small, sharp-beaked bird at my feeder that I have not seen before. I took a few pictures and have since seen at least 2 pairs and have IDd them as Red-breasted Nuthatches. Are they common in this area? Skittish like the Chickadees and they too take only 1 sunflower seed at a time and then return for another. Fun to watch but bullied by the House Finches and the Lesser Goldfinches.
Larry, Red-breasted Nuthatches are fairly common in Utah. During the spring/summer/fall I find them most often in the mountains. During the winter I see them at lower elevations including at my feeders. I adore their calls, they simply make me smile.
Thanks, Mia.
I love your observant eye, you catch things others miss.
Thank you. I am always grateful to learn things.