Family Reference
Waterfowl
Ducks, geese, and swans (Anatidae) — pond, lake, and estuary residents, including how to tell similar species apart in eclipse plumage.
The Complete Waterfowl Guide: Ducks, Geese & Swans (Anatidae)
Field reference to Anatidae: dabblers, divers, perching ducks, eclipse plumage, geese and swans, plus hen and juvenile identification.
Read the guide →Species & Profiles
All articles in this section
Gadwall (Mareca strepera): The Quiet Elegance
Gadwall (Mareca strepera), the only North American duck with a white speculum. Field profile covering identification, dabbling ecology, range expansion, and the 2017 generic reclassification.
Mallard vs American Black Duck: Speculum and Bill Decide
Speculum borders, bill colour, and the sex-similarity rule separate Mallard from American Black Duck. Hybridisation is common across the Atlantic flyway.
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser): The Saw-billed Fish Specialist
Field profile of Mergus merganser, the Common Merganser or Goosander: serrated bill, fish diet, river breeding, cavity nests, and winter distribution.
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus): The Crested Cavity-nesting Merganser
Field profile of Lophodytes cucullatus, the Hooded Merganser: fan-shaped crest, cavity nesting, sawbill diet, brood jumps, and wooded wetland habitat.
Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens): White and Blue Morphs in Winter Flocks
Field profile of Anser caerulescens, the Snow Goose: white and blue morphs, black grin patch, Arctic breeding, flyways, grazing, and population pressure.
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa): Cavity-nesting and the Nest Box Programme
Field profile of Aix sponsa, the Wood Duck: cavity nesting, nest-box recovery, eclipse plumage, brood jumps, and perching-duck identification.
American Wigeon (Mareca americana): Grazing Duck of Pond Edges
Field profile of Mareca americana, the American Wigeon: grazing behaviour, small blue-grey bill, whistle calls, flyways, eclipse plumage, and wetland use.
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris): The Misnamed Pochard
Field profile of Aythya collaris, the Ring-necked Duck: peaked head, bill rings, diving diet, boreal breeding, and separation from scaup and Tufted Duck.
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta): The Slim, Long-tailed Dabbler
Field profile of Anas acuta, the Northern Pintail: long-tailed structure, eclipse plumage, prairie breeding, shallow foraging, and flyway movements.
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos): Identification, Behaviour & Hybridisation
Field profile of Anas platyrhynchos, the Mallard: male, female and eclipse identification, domestic hybrids, and ancestry of domestic ducks.
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors): Long-distance Migrant Dabbler
Field profile of Spatula discors, the Blue-winged Teal: powder-blue forewing, early migration, tropical wintering range, eclipse plumage, and marsh breeding.
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis): The Stiff-tailed Diver
Field profile of Oxyura jamaicensis, the Ruddy Duck: stiff tail, blue bill, diving behaviour, marsh breeding, and the UK eradication programme.
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata): The Filter-feeding Spoonbill Duck
Field profile of Spatula clypeata, the Northern Shoveler: spatulate bill, lamellar filtration, spinning flocks, eclipse plumage, and shallow wetland ecology.
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca): The Smallest North American Dabbler
Field profile of Anas crecca, the Green-winged Teal: small size, green speculum, Eurasian and American forms, rapid flight, and shallow-marsh ecology.
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis): Identification, Behaviour & Resident vs Migratory
Field profile of Branta canadensis, the Canada Goose: identification, resident and migratory populations, Cackling Goose split, and suburban success.
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula): The Wing-whistling Diver
Field profile of Bucephala clangula, the Common Goldeneye: round white cheek spot, wing whistle, cavity nesting, diving diet, and winter reservoir use.
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola): The Tiny Cavity-nesting Diver
Field profile of Bucephala albeola, the Bufflehead: small diving structure, white head patch, flicking dives, cavity nesting, and winter coastal use.
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor): The Naturalised Park-pond Swan
Field profile of Cygnus olor, the Mute Swan: orange bill and black knob, wing sound, territorial breeding, naturalised status, and legal protection.