Ring Necked Duck Bird – Swimmers – 3/31/2014

The male Ring-Necked Duck was photographed in Frame Park in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

The female Ring-Necked Duck stayed with a group of other Ring-Necked Ducks and Scaups in the center of the Fox River.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Ring Necked Duck

The male Ring-Necked Duck has a black top and white bottom with a vertical white mark before the wing and a bluish bill with a white ring. The female Ring-Necked Duck is brownish with an indistinct lightface patch, a dark eye with white-eye ring, and a white ring on the bill. It is similar to the Lesser and Greater, Scaup Ducks. It has a range of Canada and the United States to Panama. It has a habit on wooded lakes, ponds, and on usually fresh water rivers and bays. It feeds on mostly aquatic plants, stems, roots, seeds, and insects. It usually stays to itself and associates with dabbling ducks on shallow steams or ponds. Despite the name, a ring on its neck is almost never visible.

 

Killdeer Plover Bird – Small Waders – 3/18/2012

This Killdeer, with five others, was photographed on a sidewalk in Woodland Hills sub-division, with two ponds and large fields, in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Killdeer Plover

The Killdeer is a brown-backed white-breasted belted plover with two black breastbands. It is widespread and conspicuous calling its name out as it flies over farmland and other open country. It is often found around waters edge, and on pastures, fields, and large lawns. The diet is mostly insects including beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, and spiders. It also eats, earthworms, crayfish, and snails. It forages by walking and running on open ground with head up, stopping to abruptly pick up items on the ground. It calls it’s name as it hurries about. Its range is most of the United States and Canada.

Select this link to see photos of a Killdeer baby Chick family