Can you identify this duck for me?
 

Can someone tell me what duck this is? I thought it was a canvasback hen, but not sure. It also looks like a redhead. I've shot a few of these in Texas, but I am not good at identifying ducks (other than teal, greys, pintails, etc.).

I would say drake scaup In an eclipse plumage.


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Looks more like a redhead hen to me

Red head hens are a lot lighter brown. Just too dark of a brown I think it's a hybrid I could be wrong though.


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Redhead hen

It is a Redhead Eclipse Drake . In full plumage it would have a darker breast and much more red on its head .

This is what I was thinking.

Thanks. I thought it was a redhead, but wasn't sure. Someone said it might have been a canvasback, but I didn't think the neck was thick enough.

put dat in a gumbo

Redhead... Def not a canvasback, they have all black bills

I agree although I do not claim to be a duckologist.
We have killed a few like that this year and that is what I was calling them.

So in eclipse plumage their eyes aren't gold?


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Its a red head mixed with a lesser scaup, mixed with a black panther.

dead duck

I think I have my answer. But I need a question answered first. I see a smudge of what looks like gold on its eye. Waco... When you shot that bird was his whole eye gold or just a smudge. Makes all the difference in the world... And gooh... Redhead hens have white rings around the eye. Shot a bunch last yr with duckgogetter which is reason why I think I have the answer. The eye matters I think. But there are other things too. Redhead drakes always have all gold eyes no matter the phase.... They also have more of a lighter brown tint in eclipse phase. I'll post my answer once I get my answer


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

I think redhead drake as well. The color of the eyes being darker are bc of how long it was dead I think. If it was a hybrid I "believe" it would have more of distinct color change line at base of neck. My 2 cents


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

Redhead Drake

Yes they are always . You can somewhat see it in one of the pics . I think its just hard to tell in the pics ,prob due to the camera or poor lighting or maybe even because its been dead awhile .

Gotcha


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Sorry, don't remember the color of the eye when it was shot. Thanks for the info.

Killed one just like it this morning.

Pics? Mine was in a flock of 30 and was shot by a very poor shooter yesterday....me.

I forgot to take a pick. It was in with 2 other red head drakes.

Age done messed up your shooting ability? ;)

Old hen mallard

lol


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X2

nothing more, nothing less

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Redhead (Young Drake)

Is there a site where you can practice ID'ing ducks? Especially in the air?

Having issues with a few that we don't normally see.

this one is alright
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckdist/


there is also one that focuses on just wings, which can be really tough. Took a class on game birds and thought I knew everything about a dang duck WRONG:shaking: This girl was in the class and starting studying her wings after class. She asked me what the difference was between a shoveler and a bw teal wing and how to tell a wood duck hen from a wood duck drake wing. I laughed and said well thats easy and she handed them both to me and I couldn't tell em apart:eek: Study time!:rotfl:

side note - that girl was fine as a frog hair from around Minden and cool as could be, had a twin sister but twin was a girly girl. Dad had some nice hunting land she hunted on, and think she ended up becoming a nurse and married a pretty boy. no idea why i felt like including this as i am not going to contribute pictures:work:

Describe them Jude. Maybe we can help. Mercs give ppl issues. But truly because the hatch was late it's probably just young birds. Small pins that look like teal with a long neck. Original posters duck. This is the most young birds I've ever seen. Ducks just getting their flight feathers and rolling out with teal and Greys. Im starting to think the smart spooners fly with teal because 50% of all teal flights (5-10 birds) have 2 spoons with them. Killed 9 teal this am and 7 drakes and only two had anything remotely close to winter plumage


"Go ahead, share your opinion! I won't cry"

Even the most common ones can be confusing. Easy if you have both in hand but if you only get one wing they can be confusing

Careful...them Minden girls can be crrrrraaazzzzyyyyyy


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You ain't tellin Noah about the flood!:rotfl: