WILDFOWL IDENTIFICATION

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Diving Ducks
Diving ducks mainly feed by diving beneath the surface of the water. Diving ducks are mostly gregarious and mainly found on fresh water and estuaries. They are strong fliers but have difficulty taking off, having to run across the water to gain take off speed.

Diving ducks have their legs further back on their bodies than dabbling ducks to help propel them when underwater, though this restricts their ability to walk on land.

Diving Duck Comparisons
Some Diving Ducks are very similar to each other and to help aid identification the following comparisons have been made, click images to view:-

Ferruginous Duck / Southern Pochard
Lesser Scaup / Greater Scaup
Redhead / Pochard
Ring-Necked Duck / Tufted Duck




DIVING DUCK IDENTIFICATION

Baer's Pochard (WWT Slimbridge April 2011) ©Nigel Key Canvasback (WWT Slimbridge July 2014) ©Nigel Key Ferruginous Duck (WWT Slimbridge April 2015) ©Nigel Key Greater Scaup (WWT Slimbridge March 2019) ©Nigel Key Hardhead (WWT Slimbridge April 2011) ©Nigel Key
Baer's Pochard Canvasback Ferruginous Duck Greater Scaup Hardhead
 (WWT Slimbridge March 2011) ©Nigel Key Marbled Teal (WWT Slimbridge October 2011) ©Nigel Key Pochard (WWT Slimbridge October 2008) ©Nigel Key Red-Crested Pochard (WWT Slimbridge March 2014) ©Nigel Key Redhead (WWT Slimbridge May 2012) ©Nigel Key
Lesser Scaup Marbled Teal Pochard Red-Crested Pochard Redhead
Ring-Necked Duck (WWT Slimbridge November 2013) ©Nigel Key Rosybill (WWT Slimbridge May 2015) ©Nigel Key Southern Pochard (WWT Slimbridge November 2017) ©Nigel Key Tufted Duck (WWT Slimbridge April 2011) ©Nigel Key
Ring-Necked Duck Rosybill Southern Pochard Tufted Duck

Photos copyright of ©Nigel Key
Click for larger image



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