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Ring-necked Duck

Status Fairly common transient, uncommon in summer, rare in winter. Breeds. There are indications that it was earlier extirpated as a breeding bird from Nova Scotia, as elsewhere in eastern North America (Palmer 1976). Blakiston and Bland (1857) stated that it was "rare" but "breeds inland." Gilpin (1880) thought that live birds kept by Andrew Downs were taken as young in the province, although Downs (1888) did not mention breeding. The first report in recent times was of a bird shot at Port Joli, Queens County, in 1935 (the wing sent to R.W. Tufts). It has become widely established as a breeding species since then. Birds generally arrive in early April (average 4 April, earliest 16 March) and are widespread by mid-April, especially in the Amherst region. Larger gatherings occur in September and October, and stragglers are regular on Christmas Bird Counts. Small numbers have been reported in January in Halifax, Hants and Lunenburg counties, and a few have survived the winters recently among hand-fed waterfowl on Sullivans Pond, Dartmouth.

Description Length: 40-45 cm. Adult male: Head, neck, chest, back and tail black, with purplish, greenish or bluish reflections on head; tiny white triangle patch on chin; narrow, inconspicuous chestnut ring around neck; wing patch gray; belly mostly white; a white spur extending up in front of the flanks provides a good field mark; flanks and lower belly finely marked with wavy black lines; bill blackish slate with band of white or bluish white across it. Adult female: Upperparts brown, darkest on crown and nape, many feathers bordered with lighter brown; cheeks and throat gray and brown, much paler on throat and at base of bill; narrow white eye ring; upper belly whitish gray; sides and lower belly grayish brown; bill slaty black with faint band of pale bluish gray near end.

Breeding Nest: On the ground, well concealed among grass and weeds, near water. Composed of coarse vegetable matter, with the usual lining of down. Eggs: 6-14, creamy buff. The first definite breeding record was supplied by Peters (1941), who found two broods near the New Brunswick border. Many broods and nests have been seen since.

Range Breeds across southern Canada from British Columbia to Newfoundland, and south to Massachusetts, Nebraska and northeastern California. Winters from British Columbia, the northern and central United States to the West Indies and Guatemala.

Remarks Hunters are likely to mistake this bird for the Greater Scaup ("blue-bill"), the males of the two species being quite similar in general appearance. The back of the male ring-neck is black, but that of the male scaup is gray. Furthermore, this bird's wing patch is gray and that of the scaup is white.

According to Kortright (1942) it is in no way a shy bird, but in my limited experience with that species, I have found it to be particularly wary and most difficult to approach during the breeding season (I have had little experience with it at other times of year).

It might more appropriately have been called by its popular name of "ring-billed" duck because the rings that cross the bills of both sexes are far more conspicuous than the obscure chestnut ring present around the neck of the male only.

It obtains its food mainly from the bottom by diving but unlike most diving ducks is able to spring vertically into the air when taking off, with its wings making a pleasing whistling sound.