Ring-necked Duck - Duck Hunting - Wetland Hunting
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Description
Although the ring-necked ducks mix with other ducks freely on large lakes during the winter season, these birds can be found on small ponds that are lined with trees. These game birds are strong and fast fliers with the ability to take flights by springing up directly from the water. Ergo, unlike most ducks, the ring-necked ducks do not need laborious take-off runs like most diving ducks. It is vital to note that, despite their name, the ring on their neck is almost invisible.
Description
The male ducks are bold black and gray with a black back, gray sides, dark head, and white hash marks on the chest. On the other hand, females ring headed ducks are rich brown with a contrasting pale cheek, whitish eyering, and a white patch near the bill. Adult males are easily identified because they have a prominent white ring on the bill. Both sexes have a length of 39 to 46 cm, weighs 490 -910 g, and have a wingspan of 62 -63 cm.
Habitat
These ducks can be found in smaller water bodies, unlike other diving ducks. On migration and during the winter season, these birds prefer inhabiting marshes, small lakes, cattle ponds, beaver ponds, bays, rivers, and bogs. You can also find ring-necked ducks in flooded agricultural fields and estuaries.
Diet
Although diet varies with habitat and season, it is mainly insects and aquatic plants. Also, seeds, roots of aquatic plants, smartweeds, sedges, pondweeds, grasses, and algae are part of the diet. To supplement the food, these ducks feed on mollusks and insects. These ducks forage by diving a few meters underwater. They can also feed in shallow waters and flooded agricultural fields.
Nesting
Mating pairs begin formation in winter. The males perform several courtship displays that include swimming with their head feathers erected, laying the head far back then thrusting it forward and nodding rapidly.
The nest site is mainly on a dry hammock, a mat of floating vegetation, or a clump of bush near a source of water. The nest is a shallow bowl of weeds, grasses, and sedges lined with down.
Eggs
Female ring-necked ducks lay 8 – 10 eggs that vary in color from pale brown to olive-gray and pale buff. Incubation is by female only for 25 to 29 days. Unlike most diving ducks, the females remain with the young until they are old enough to fly, which takes 49 to 55 days. The young feed on their own, and unlike most diving ducks, the ring-necked ducks hide in marsh instead of seeking safety on open waters.
