Part 2

CHALKY-BLUE PATCH GREEN SPECULUM ♂ UNIFORM CINNAMON BODY COLOR ♀ FEMALE HAS LIGHT BELLY

AMERICAN WIDGEON (Baldpate) (Mareca americana)

WHITE PATCH WHITE BELLY GREEN SPECULUM WHITE BORDER ♂ WHITE CROWN GREEN PATCH GRAY BILL, BLACK TIPPED WHITE PATCH ♀

SHOVELER (Spatula clypeata)

CHALKY-BLUE PATCH GREEN SPECULUM BORDERED WITH WHITE ♂ IRIDESCENT GREENISH BLACK LARGE SHOVEL BILL CONSPICUOUS BRISTLE-LIKE LAMELLAE WHITE BREAST CHESTNUT SIDES AND BELLY ♀

WOOD DUCK (Aix sponsa)

WHITE BORDER WHITE BELLY SILVERY BORDERED ♂ RED IRIS RED AND WHITE BILL ADULT MALE HIGHLY COLORED ECLIPSE AND IMMATURE MALE WHITE PATCH ♀ CONSPICUOUS WHITE EYE-RING CRESTED

HARLEQUIN DUCK (Histrionicus histrionicus)

WHITE MARKS ♂ STOCKY, DARK, SMALL BILL ♀ FEMALE HAS SMALLER BILL PLAIN DARK BODY

DIVING DUCK CHARACTERISTICS (Aythyinae)

LEGS SET NEAR REAR OF BODY DIVE COMPLETELY UNDER WATER TO SECURE FEED SPECULUM GENERALLY DULL, LACKS IRIDESCENCE USUALLY SWIM WITH TAIL HELD CLOSE TO WATER HIND TOE LOBED, FOOT LARGE ON TAKE OFF PATTER ALONG SURFACE FOR SOME DISTANCE

REDHEAD (Aythya americana)

GRAY BACK GRAY WING STRIPE ♂ CHESTNUT HEAD HIGH ABRUPT FOREHEAD BLUE BILL, BLACK TIP BLACK BREAST ♀ LIGHT PATCH

RING-NECKED DUCK (Aythya collaris)

BLACK BACK GRAY WING STRIPE ♂ DISTINCT CREST CONSPICUOUS BILL RING CHESTNUT COLLAR BLACK BREAST WHITE PATCH ♀ WHITE EYE RING LIGHT PATCH

CANVASBACK (Aythya valisineria)

WHITE BACK GRAY WING STRIPE ♂ CHESTNUT HEAD LONG SLOPING PROFILE, BLACK BILL BLACK BREAST ♀ GRAY BACK BROWN BREAST

GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila)

DARK RUMP WHITE WING STRIPE EXTENDING INTO PRIMARIES WHITE BELLY NAIL OF BILL 7.0-9.0 MILLIMETERS WIDE ♂ GRAY BACK BLACK HEAD WITH GREENISH TINGE BROAD BLUE BILL BLACK BREAST WHITE FLANKS ♀ BROWN BODY AND HEAD DISTINCT WHITE MASK

LESSER SCAUP (Aythya affinis)

DARK RUMP WHITE WING STRIPE DOES NOT EXTEND INTO PRIMARIES WHITE BELLY NAIL OF BILL 5.0-6.5 MILLIMETERS WIDE ♂ SLIGHT CREST GRAY BACK BLACK HEAD WITH PURPLISH TINGE BROAD BLUE BILL BLACK BREAST LIGHT FLANKS ♀ BROWN BODY AND HEAD DISTINCT WHITE MASK

COMMON GOLDENEYE (Bucephala clangula)

WHITE WING PATCHES ♂ GREENISH BLACK HEAD LIGHT IRIS DISTINCT WHITE PATCH WHITE BREAST AND BELLY 2ND SEASON MALE WITH BROWN HEAD AND FAINT WHITE PATCH ♀ BROWN HEAD ORANGE TIP IN BREEDING PLUMAGE GRAY BACK AND FLANKS WHITE NECK GRAY BREAST WHITE BELLY 1ST SEASON MALE IS SIMILAR IN COLORATION TO FEMALE BUT WITH HEAVIER BODY AND MORE RUGGED HEAD AND BILL

BARROW’S GOLDENEYE (Bucephala islandica)

WHITE WING PATCHES ♂ PURPLISH BLACK HEAD WHITE CRESCENT PATCH BLACK BACK BLACK BILL WHITE BREAST AND BELLY ♀ LIGHT IRIS GRAY BACK AND FLANKS ORANGE TIP IN BREEDING PLUMAGE WHITE NECK GRAY BREAST WHITE BELLY

BUFFLEHEAD (Bucephala albeola)

BLACK AND WHITE BACK DARK BACK WHITE WING PATCHES WHITE BELLY ♂ BLACK WITH IRIDESCENT GREEN AND PURPLE DISTINCT WHITE PATCH BLUE-GRAY BILL ♀ DARK GRAYISH BROWN DISTINCT WHITE PATCH

WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (Melanitta deglandi)

BLACK CHUNKY BODY WHITE PATCH ♂ WHITE EYE PATCH PROMINENT BLACK KNOB REDDISH ORANGE IMMATURE HAS DISTINCT WHITE PATCHES ♀ FEATHERING EXTENDS ALMOST TO NOSTRIL ADULT FEMALE CHEEK PATCHES RANGE FROM SLIGHTLY DARKER THAN IMMATURE TO NO WHITE AT ALL

FULVOUS TREE DUCK (Dendrocygna bicolor helva)

LONG NECK ADULT WHITE LINE IMMATURE ADULT LONG LEGS

BLACK-BELLIED TREE DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis autumnalis)

WHITE UPPER WING ADULT LONG NECK IMMATURE WHITE WING PATCH

RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaicensis)

DARK BROWN BELLY SILVERY WHITE ♂ SUMMER PLUMAGE WHITE CHEEK CROWN GLOSSY BLACK BILL BLUE RICH CHESTNUT ♂ WINTER PLUMAGE CROWN BROWNISH-BLACK BILL DUSKY ASHY WHITE ♀ MOTTLED CHEEK WITH DARK STRIPE BILL NAIL DISTINCTLY SHARP-POINTED GRAYISH BROWN

HOODED MERGANSER (Lophodytes cucullatus)

WHITE WING PATCH ♂ WHITE CREST OUTLINED WITH BLACK THIN, SPIKE-LIKE BLACK BILL TEETH NOT INCLINED BACKWARD AS IN OTHER MERGANSERS WHITE BREAST DOUBLE BLACK BANDS ♀ CREST, LIGHT BROWN LIGHT THROAT IN FLIGHT ALL MERGANSERS CARRY BILL, NECK AND BODY IN HORIZONTAL PLANE, GIVING THEM A CHARACTERISTIC LONG-DRAWN APPEARANCE.

COMMON MERGANSER (Mergus merganser)

BLACK AND WHITE PATTERN WHITE WING PATCH ♂ METALLIC GREENISH-BLACK NOT CRESTED RED BILL NOSTRIL POSITIONED NEAR CENTER OF BILL ♀ DISTINCT CREST WHITE THROAT RED BILL TEETH INCLINED BACKWARDS GRAY BACK

DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus)

ADULT IMMATURE PALE BREAST YELLOW-ORANGE THROAT POUCH BLACK BODY

COMMON LOON (Gavia immer)

SUMMER ADULT CHECKERED BACK IN FLIGHT HAS DOWNWARD CURVE TO NECK WINTER ADULT FEET EXTEND BEYOND TAIL GRAY SUMMER ADULT BLACK HEAD, PURPLISH IRIDESCENCE BLACK BILL WHITE RIBBED WHITE BREAST AND BELLY WINTER ADULT GRAY WHITE SEXES ARE SIMILAR

HORNED GREBE (Colymbus auritus)

WINTER PLUMAGE DARK BACK THIN BILL RED EYE WHITE CHEEKS, THROAT AND BELLY HEAD, SUMMER PLUMAGE LOBED TOES

PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps)

TARSUS FLATTENED LATERALLY ADULT HEAD BLACK IMMATURE CHICKEN-LIKE BILL WHITE STRIPED FACIAL PATTERN SEXES ARE SIMILAR

WESTERN GREBE (Aechmophorus occidentalis)

WHITE UNDERPARTS LONG SLENDER NECK

AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana)

WHITE SCALLOPED FLAPS WHITE PATCH SLATE GRAY BODY WHITE BILL

KING RAIL (Rallus elegans)

COMMONLY INHABITS FRESH WATER MARSHES GENERALLY HAS A RUSTY COLORATION DARK BARRING SEXES ARE SIMILAR

CLAPPER RAIL (Rallus longirostris)

GENERALLY HAS A GRAYER COLORATION COMMONLY INHABITS TIDAL MARSHES LIGHT BARRING IMMATURE BIRDS SIMILAR TO ADULTS: SPECIES DIFFERENTIATION OFTEN DIFFICULT

VIRGINIA RAIL (Rallus limicola)

IMMATURE BLACKISH BODY ADULT REDDISH BODY GRAY CHEEKS LONG BILL WHITE SEXES ARE SIMILAR

SORA (Porzana Carolina)

IMMATURE BUFFY BROWN BODY ADULT WHITE PATCH GRAY-BROWN BODY SHORT YELLOW BILL BLACK FACIAL AND THROAT PATCH

COMMON SNIPE (JACKSNIPE) (Capella gallinago)

LONG BILL STRIPED BACK AND HEAD ORANGE TAIL HAS A CHARACTERISTIC ZIG-ZAG FLIGHT POINTED WING SEXES ARE SIMILAR

AMERICAN WOODCOCK (Philohela minor)

BARRED HEAD LONG BILL SHORT TAIL CHUNKY BODY LARGE EYE APPEARS NECKLESS BLUNT WING

WATERFOWLER’S CODE

Buy a State License, and if You Are 16 Years of Age or Older Obtain Federal Duck Stamp. It is illegal to hunt waterfowl without these licenses, and the dollars you spend for them help to maintain your sport.

Know Your State, Provincial and Federal Migratory Bird Laws. When in doubt consult your local game protector or U.S. Game Management Agent.

Treat the Landowner with Respect and Courtesy. Ownership of game is vested in the State and Province, but landowners have the right to prevent trespass on their land.

Learn to Identify Before You Shoot. A mistake may prove both embarrassing and costly, a correct identification adds to your day’s enjoyment.

Cooperate with Your Federal, State and Provincial Agencies. Solving the many problems of waterfowl production, harvest and research is possible only through continued cooperation of the duck hunter and conservationist.

Use a Retriever if Possible, or at Least Pick Up Every Bird You Shoot. A good dog will pick up cripples you would otherwise have to leave. A good sportsman will never kill game needlessly. The use of retrieving dogs is a sound conservation practice in reducing crippling losses in addition to providing the pleasure of watching a good dog in action.

Good Sportsmanship in the Duck Blind and on the Marshes Is Equally Important as Remaining Friendly with Your Neighbors.

DISTRIBUTED BY: TEXAS GAME and FISH COMMISSION

Transcriber’s Notes

—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook is public-domain in the country of publication.

—Added several birds to the Table of Contents to match the text.

—Silently corrected a few typos.

—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_.