I don't know how many times I have had hunting partners say to me "how in the world did identify that duck so quickly?" after they point out a bird on the flight. I'm not saying that I am Olympic caliber at duck identification, but I do try to use 7 key attributes to narrow down the list of likely candidates and then hone in from there to make a quick duck ID. These are not meant to be hard, fast rules, but more general rules that will help you narrow down your search in an organized fashion.
Size of bird:
The process of duck identification begins with identifying the ducks you see by size. Ducks can be grouped into three sizes: small, medium and large. An example of a small duck would be a teal. People often mistake them for large song birds like a mourning dove at first blush. This is a really quick way to narrow down the array of birds winging towards your decoys.
Flock pattern - flight activity:
How are the birds relating to each other. If they are in a tight group and dancing around like bumblebees you are likely looking at a flock of teal. Are they flying in a loose group and remaining mostly within their respective area? Then you are likely looking at a group of mallards.
Habitat Type:
Certain types of ducks are more likely to frequent different types of cover. It would be considered uncommon to see a raft of bluebills light upon a secluded beaver pond, however if you saw a group of mallards, wood ducks, or teal you wouldn't be surprised at all. Similarly, you would be surprised to see a flock of wood ducks land at the end of a wind swept point on a large, deep lake, but would not be surprised in the least to see a flock of redheads or canvasbacks do the same.
Time of Season:
Depending on the time of year you will be able to narrow down your search further. Blue wing teal and wood ducks are notorious early migrators, so if it is later in your season you can likely count them out. Likewise, it would be rare to see a bufflehead or bluebill winging towards you opening day of duck season.
Silhouette:
Certain ducks have very distinct silhouettes that will key to what they are immediately. People have been known to have a hard time identifying wood ducks on the wing, but they are easily picked out by the way they hold their head in a slight tilt back cocked fashion. Another example is the drake pintail which has a very long streamer for a tail that is a dead give away.
Plumage:
Here is where your duck identification chart comes in especially handy. If you look closely there are often very distinct colors that pop out while the bird is approaching. The signature green head of a drake mallard, the white patch on the side of the head of a bufflehead, the telltale blue patch on the wing of blue winged teal are all great examples of clues that can be noticed quickly if you know what to look for.
Geographical location:
While not always possible, if you frequent a certain area you will begin to notice that certain ducks are far more common and likely to be flying around. It would be unlikely to see a common eider in the Mississippi flyway, but common out on the east coast. Likewise, bluebills are reasonably common in the Mississippi Flyway, but not common at all on the east coast.
With the ever changing regulations surrounding duck hunting it is critical that duck hunters become proficient at identifying ducks in flight. While the duck identification chart included in many regulation manuals is a good start, more is needed to make a quick call in the field. If you follow these seven tips you will become an expert at duck identification in a very short period of time.
John Olson is an owner of several niche websites. His passions include hunting, fishing, hiking and many other outdoor activities. For more information about duck hunting, duck education and conservation and duck hunting supplies visit Cheap Duck Decoys and cheap duck calls
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