The American scoter, often known as the black scoter, measures 43 to 49 cm (17 to 19 in) in length. The words “black” and “duck” in Ancient Greek are combined to form the genus name. The Latin word for “American” is derived from the species name. Fun Fact On occasion, the Black Scoter will swim […]
The harlequin duck is the common name for the small sea duck Histrionicus histrionicus. Fun Facts Males lose the majority of their vibrant colors during molt, leaving only slight changes in color and plumage patterns to identify them from females. More Harlequin Ducks than any other species break bones, and X-rays and museum specimens have
The greater scaup (Aythya marila), often known as the smaller scaup and commonly referred to as the “bluebill” in North America, is a medium-sized diving duck. Fun Facts Sometimes, an older female Greater Scaup will have a head colour similar to a male’s and a pattern similar to a male’s on her back, but she
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One of the sawbill ducks is the red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator), a diving duck. The name of the genus, serrator, is derived from the Latin word serra, which means “saw,” and was used by Pliny and other Roman authors to describe an unidentified waterbird. Fun Facts It takes Red-breasted Mergansers two years to develop breeding
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One type of merganser is the hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus). In the genus Lophodytes, it is the sole surviving species. The Greek words lophos, which means “crest,” and dutes, which means “diver,” are used to create the genus name. Fun Facts Only the Smew of Eurasia is smaller than the Hooded Merganser, which is the
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The name of the genus comes from the Greek word boukephalos, which translates to “bullheaded” and alludes to the elongated head of the bufflehead. Fun Facts When ducklings leave the nest, they lose the ability to recognize their mother and may join the brood of another female. When two adult females engage in a territorial
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The redhead (Aythya americana), a medium-sized diving duck, can be found. The redhead measures 37 cm (15 in) in length and 84 cm in width (33 in). Fun Facts Male Redheads in the courting stage engage in a gymnastic “head throw” maneuver in which they practically fold in half and extend their necks far over
The words oxus, which means “sharp,” and oura, which means “tail,” are taken from the Greek language, while jamaicensis means “from Jamaica.” Fun Fact Ruddy ducks lay the largest of all duck eggs in terms of body size. These eggs are huge, white, and have a pebbly texture. The eggs are extremely energy-intensive to make,
The largest diving duck species in North America is the canvasback (Aythya valisineria). A huge diving duck with a recognizable long, sloping face profile is the canvasback. From autumn through spring, it travels to the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers. Fun Facts The canvasback is a skilled athlete. Although they typically forage in shallower
The word “genus” comes from the Greek words “boukephalos,” which means “bullheaded,” “bull,” and “head,” and refers to the species’ peculiarly bulbous head shape. The word “albeola” comes from the Latin albus, which means “white.” The English name, which again alludes to the head form, is a combination of the words “buffalo” and “head.” Fun