Our resident ducks and waterfowl include mallards, Canada geese, ruddy duck, redheads and the common merganser. 

When we think about ducks, most of us think of a male mallard. He has the easily recognizable green head with a chestnut breast. The female, like most other female ducks, is less distinct. She is mottled brown with a whitish tail. In flight, both sexes will have a purple-blue stripe (called the speculum) with white borders on each side. Mallards, which nest in the White Mountains, are highly adaptable birds, making them common in urban areas. 

Canada geese, which are still in the duck family, are much bigger and easy to identify. They have a black head and neck with a distinct white cheek patch. Males and females look the same, but the female is smaller. Ducks that mate for life tend to not have dramatic differences between the sexes because the males aren’t looking for a mate year after year.

The male ruddy duck is hard to mistake when in breeding plumage (April-August). The thick necked duck with a big head will often have its tail sticks up when swimming. During breeding season, the male will have obvious white cheeks and a blue bill. The female will be less conspicuous. She’s brown with a single dark line through her cheek patch. Ruddy ducks will nest in the White Mountains. 

If you see a duck with a round head and short bill, you’re likely looking at a redhead. The male has a gray back and side with a chestnut head. His bill is pale blue or gray with a white ring next to a black tip. The female is brown with a black bill tip. 

The common merganser is a large, fish eating duck with a long serrated bill. Both sexes have a white breast. The male has an iridescent green head. The female has a bright chestnut head with a crest and a gray body. 

Some of our common migrant ducks are the American wigeon, canvasbacks, northern shovelers, cinnamon teals, lesser scaups and buffleheads. 

American wigeon males have a green eye patch with a white cap. Females are brown with a white belly and a green speculum (the feathers on the trailing edge of the upper wing). This puddle duck prefers wetlands with plenty of aquatic vegetation. 

The sloping black bill is distinctive of the canvasback. The head and neck are chestnut with whitish back and sides. The female has a light brown head and neck with grayish-brown sides and back. These diving ducks prefer large, open water and are usually found at lakes and deep reservoirs. Canvasbacks will stay up here in the north until the ice sends them flying south. 

The northern shoveler gets its name from its large spatulate (spoon shaped) bill. The male has a green head, white breast and brown sides. The brown female is identified by her grayish, distinctive shaped bill with orange around the edges. Shovelers prefer open water habitats with plenty of invertebrates to feed on. 

The cinnamon teal is a small duck and, like the name implies, the male has a cinnamon head and body and a red eye. The female is brown with a blue forewing that is visible when flying. 

Lesser scaups males have a purple-green iridescent head, black chest and white sides. The females are brown with a white patch at the base of her bill. Lesser scaups use a variety of wetland habitats but are generally found on lakes and reservoirs feeding on submerged aquatic vegetation and invertebrates. 

The male buffleheads look to be black and white at first glance but, in the right light, they have an iridescent purple-green head with a white cheek patch. They seem to have a puffy head and they have a short bill. The female is duller with a smaller white cheek patch. These small diving ducks prefer open water with submerged vegetation and aquatic invertebrates. 

Now that you have some information about these ducks, where can you go find some in the Show Low and Pinetop/Lakeside areas? 

Both Woodland and Rainbow Lakes in Pinetop/Lakeside have a nice selection of ducks. Jacques Marsh (which is accessed by taking Penrod to Juniper; park at the kiosk and walk into wetlands) has the largest number of different species as I write this in early March. Scott’s Reservoir (off Penrod) can have a nice variety of ducks and so can Pintail Lake (east of Hwy 77 and north of Hwy 260).

What should you take with you? You’ll want to have a pair of binoculars (if you have them) and a field guide. There are a lot of different field guides out there, depending on your preference for photos or artist representations. If you’re new to birding (or can I call it “ducking”?), maybe pick up a small, fold out/pocket guide. These are common bird guides and easy to read.

If you want to learn more about watchable waterfowl in the White Mountains, join us for our first-ever workshop on Saturday, April 9th at 10 a.m. The free program will consist of a classroom presentation and discussion of waterfowl biology, migratory patterns and identification. The presentation will be followed by an optional trip to a local lake to observe waterfowl first-hand and practice our identification skills. Participants are advised to dress appropriately for weather conditions for that day and to bring a set of binoculars or spotting scope (if they have them) for improved observation. Please call the Pinetop Game and Fish office at (928) 532-3680 to register. 

The Arizona Game and Fish Department (department) wants to remind people that feeding bread and other human food to ducks or birds is unhealthy and causes the animals harm. In some cities and counties, it’s even illegal to feed wildlife.

Wildlife enthusiasts put out old bread, table scraps and even dog food for birds thinking it will benefit the birds. Feeding old bread to ducks at local parks is also a common occurrence. In fact, both are likely to be harmful.

“Bread is basically junk food for birds. It is high in carbohydrates, doesn’t offer nutrition and is hard on their systems which weren’t designed to digest human foods,” said Diane Tilton, Information and Education Program Manager for the department. “Consuming too much human food can lead to weight gain and malnutrition in wildlife.” 

In addition to attracting birds, it’s likely that food left out for backyard birds will also attract rodents and other foraging wildlife, like raccoons. In warmer months, it could also attract bears into neighborhoods and encourage them to keep returning to the food source. Attracting wild animals into close proximity of people poses public safety issues, including the potential for attacks on people and pets and transmission of rabies or distemper to pets. 

Instead of putting out human food for birds, the department recommends planting native plants, and providing quality bird food and clean water. When birds are fed by humans, feeders and waterers often become a source of disease. It’s important to keep feeders and water clean. Food alternatives for ducks are grapes that have been cut in half, cracked corn or birdseed, defrosted frozen peas or duck feed pellets that are available at farm supply stores.