Acrylic Duck Calls » duck identification

Duck Identification Step 5: Surrounding habitat

Darin — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:15:37 +0000

The fifth installment of our duck identification series:

Step 5: Surrounding Habitat

Ducks tend to favor certain kinds of habitat when it comes to where they eat and rest. This can be an excellent way to narrow down the possibilities of what is careening by your duck blind. It would be rare to see a flock f redheads on a beaver pond tucked away back in the scrub shrub. However, if you saw a pair of wood ducks it wouldn’t surprise you in the least. Likewise, you would not expect to see a six pack of wood ducks land at the end of a wind swept reed island on a big lake with rolling waves, but would consider it common to see a flock of ringnecks resting in the same place.

Duck Identification Step 4 – Using Plumage

Darin — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:01:09 +0000

The fourth installment of our duck identification series:

Duck Identification Step 1

Duck Identification Step 2

Duck Identification Step 3

Step 4: Plumage

A duck identification chart can be very helpful when looking at the colors present on a duck. Without ever leaving the comfort of your duck boat you can watch and see what colors on the ducks are talking to you. There are certain colors that stand out on only certain ducks that make them a easily identified. A great example of this is the radiant green head you see on the male mallard. The bufflehead has a white patch that can be seen for from far away and makes identifying them a snap. The blue winged teal has a big blue patch on the side of its wing, that when combined with their small size make for a lightning fast identification. Whenever possible use the birght colors on the ducks you are seeing as guides for what species is around you.

Duck Identification Process Step 3

Darin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:53:46 +0000

The third installment of our duck identification series:

Duck Identification Step 1

Duck Identification Step 2

Step 3: Using Flight pattern

Sometimes the easiest method to identify ducks is to see how they are flying relative to one another. This requires very little from you, and you don't even need to pick up your duck call. Are they in a tight group and moving sporadically around constanly?. You are likely watching a flock of teal careen across the swamp. Or maybe they are in a loose group and staying within their own respective area. This likely means it is a flock of the the USA's most common duck, the hen and drake mallard.

Duck Identification Process Step 2

Darin — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:46:53 +0000

As 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 the duck's silhouette to help in identification.

Some ducks have very unique silhouettes that will lead to their identity fast. The wood duck is normally difficult to identify in flight for the beginner, but if you pay attention to the way they hold their head in tilted back and cocked it becomes much easier to identify. Another duck easily figured out by its silhouette is the drake pintail with its long streamer tail that is a dead giveaway.

Duck Identification Process – First Step

Darin — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:55:46 +0000

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.