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Leading Streak Today

Your Streak Today

Leading Streak Today

Your Streak Today

This bird can gradually submerge without diving. Do you know what it is?

British Birds - Ducks 01

Ducks are mostly aquatic birds, generally smaller than swans and geese, and may be found in both fresh water and sea water. Despite widespread misconceptions, only the females of most dabbling ducks 'quack'. A common urban legend claims that duck quacks do not echo; however, this has been shown to be false.

1 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Peter Massas

Common Shelduck

Greater Scaup

Red-breasted Merganser

Ruddy Shelduck

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Mergus serrator
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Resident Breeder And Winter Visitor
These handsome diving ducks belong to the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills.
They are at home on both fresh and saltwater.

2 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://photo-natur.de/

Tufted Duck

Common Pochard

Ruddy Shelduck

Greater Scaup

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Aythya fuligula
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Resident Breeder And Winter Visitor
They will form large flocks on open water in winter.
Their breeding habitat is close to marshes and lakes with plenty of vegetation to conceal the nest.

3 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://photo-natur.de/

Mallard

Common Shelduck

Garganey

Common Eider

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Somateria mollissima
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Resident Breeder And Winter Visitor
The UK's heaviest duck, and its fastest flying.
It can fly at speeds of up to 113 km/h (70 mph).
This duck's call is a pleasant 'ah-ooo'.

4 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Richard Bartz

Mallard

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Eider

Common Pochard

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Anas platyrhynchos
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Resident Breeder, Winter Visitor, And Naturalised Releases
The commonest and most widespread duck.
Seen even in urban areas.
Is the ancestor of almost all of the varieties of domestic ducks.

5 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Kuribo

Common Eider

Common Pochard

Eurasian Wigeon

Ruddy Shelduck

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Anas penelope
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Resident Breeder And Winter Visitor
This is a bird of open wetlands, such as wet grassland or marshes with some taller vegetation.
Large numbers winter on the coast.
It is a noisy species.

6 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://carolinabirds.org/

Garganey

Red-breasted Merganser

Greater Scaup

Common Eider

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Anas querquedula
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Breeding Summer Visitor
It is a scarce and very secretive breeding duck in the UK.
The male has a distinctive crackling mating call.
The female is rather silent for a female duck, but can manage a feeble 'quack'.

7 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://www.laitche.com/

Red-breasted Merganser

Common Shelduck

Eurasian Wigeon

Common Pochard

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Aythya ferina
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Resident Breeder And Winter Visitor
They are known to hybridise with the tufted duck.
They often feed at night, and will upend for food as well as the more characteristic diving.

8 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of http://carolinabirds.org/

Garganey

Common Shelduck

Common Eider

Ruddy Shelduck

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Tadorna tadorna
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Resident Breeder And Winter Visitor
The young will dive under water to avoid predators and the adults will fly away from them to act as a decoy.
The call is a loud honk.
Found mainly in coastal areas.

9 .

What is the name of this bird?

Photograph courtesy of Calibas

Common Pochard

Common Eider

Greater Scaup

Ruddy Shelduck

Group: Ducks, Geese and Swans
Binomial: Aythya marila
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Status: Winter Visitor And Occasional Breeder
They mainly eats molluscs and aquatic plants.
Only a handful breed in the UK every year, making them our rarest breeding duck.