Bird
Bird
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
The Ring-necked Duck is a diving duck named for a subtle chestnut collar that is rarely visible in the field, making the bold white ring around its bill tip a far more useful identification feature for visitors to Trinidad's wetlands in winter.
The Ring-necked Duck is a diving duck named for a subtle chestnut collar that is rarely visible in the field, making the bold white ring around its bill tip a far more useful identification feature for visitors to Trinidad's wetlands in winter.
Identification
A medium-sized diving duck around 40 to 46 cm long, with a peaked crown giving an angular head shape. Males are glossy black above with grey flanks and a white wedge in front of the wing; females are brown with a pale face and eye-ring. Both sexes show a distinctive white ring near the tip of an otherwise dark bill.
Migration
A non-breeding migrant present in Trinidad during the northern winter, having bred on lakes and marshes across Canada and the northern United States. It winters throughout the Caribbean, and is absent from Trinidad outside this non-breeding season.
Status in T&T
An uncommon non-breeding visitor to freshwater wetlands in Trinidad, diving for aquatic vegetation and invertebrates. Not considered threatened, and it is protected as a migratory species under the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
