Duck Identification Process – First Step
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Becoming truly proficient at duck identification on the flight requires time in the marsh, no doubt about that. However, there are some ways to speed up the learning curve, and this first step I am writing about today is a great way to narrow the field.
Now, the usual route people go is to look at the duck identification chart that is included in their state waterfowl regulations and try to remember what it says while afield. I think this is important, but the first step should not be this. Moreover, it should be to whittle down the possibilities of what you are seeing flying in a systematic method.
So, what is the first step you ask? Group the ducks you see flying by size into three categories: small, medium and large. This will greatly reduce the possibilities of what is flying by your decoys. So let's put the birds into the three categories:
Small : Teal (blue wing, green wing, and cinnamon), bufflehead, ruddy ducks.
Medium: wood duck, widgeon, gadwall, lesser scaup (bluebill), ring neck, shoveler, goldeneye.
Large: mallard, pintail, black duck, redhead, canvasback.
Once you have done this, the number of possible birds is within a reasonable number and will allow you to make a quick duck identification.
I will be covering the remaining steps to waterfowl identification in upcoming blog posts.
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[...] started in our first post on duck idenfication, following a process is the best way to identify birds on the flight. Today we will discuss using [...]