Ducks and Geese

Mottled Duck

The Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) is a distinctive species of waterfowl native to the southeastern United States, with a significant population in Florida. Known for its unique plumage and habitat preferences, the Mottled Duck plays a crucial role in the local ecosystem and offers valuable insights into wetland conservation.
The Mottled Duck is a medium-sized dabbling duck similar in appearance to the Mallard but with some notable differences. Both males and females have a mottled brown appearance, which provides excellent camouflage in their wetland habitats. Males have a yellowish bill, while females have an orange to brownish bill with dark splotches. Mottled Ducks typically range from 19 to 22 inches long with a wingspan of approximately 33 to 36 inches.
In Florida, Mottled Ducks are commonly found in freshwater and brackish wetlands, including marshes, swamps, and coastal estuaries. They are non-migratory, meaning they reside in these habitats year-round. Their range extends from the Florida peninsula westward to eastern Texas, but the highest population density is in Florida.
Mottled Ducks have a varied diet consisting of aquatic plants such as seeds, stems, and roots of various aquatic vegetation, invertebrates including insects, snails, and small crustaceans, and grains including foraging on waste grain from rice and other crops.
Breeding season for Mottled Ducks in Florida typically begins in early spring. Nests are usually built on the ground in dense vegetation near water. Females construct nests using grasses, reeds, and down feathers. Females lay an average of 8 to 12 eggs per clutch. Incubation lasts about 24 to 28 days, primarily undertaken by the female. After hatching, ducklings are precocial, meaning they are relatively mature and mobile. They follow the mother to water shortly after birth and begin foraging on their own within days.
The Mottled Duck is currently listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Still, ongoing conservation efforts are being made to monitor and protect its populations. Threats to its habitat include wetland drainage, pollution, and hybridization with feral Mallards, which can dilute the species’ genetic integrity.
Mottled Ducks contribute to the health of wetland ecosystems through seed dispersal, pest control of invertebrates and insects, and as prey for various predators, thus playing a crucial role in the food web.
Photo Credit: David Gale
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Red-breasted Merganser

This unusual-looking duck is called the Red-breasted Merganser, and it only visits Florida during the winter. While this bird usually breeds in the northern coastal regions of Canada, this diving duck flies as far as our home state and Mexico across the Gulf.
In Florida, they make their home in brackish or saltwater sources such as estuaries, bays, lakes, and rivers.
The Red-breasted Merganser is easily identifiable from its fluffy crest, which both males and females have. Breeding males tend to have more color and brighter patterning with black and white plumage, brown-spotted breast, and bright white collar. Though the females are duller brown and gray, both sexes sport red eyes and beaks. Sexually immature males will appear more like females until they reach adulthood at about 2 years of age. The red beak is not just for looks; the bill is serrated and used to catch fish.
The Red-breasted Merganser dives from the surface to catch its prey. To support its energy usage, it must catch roughly 20 fish per day. This duck must dive over 250 times daily to catch enough fish to survive. The Red-breasted Merganser is not only a beautiful duck but a busy one.
Photo Credit: Lynn Marie
Author: Sarina Pennington, IOF Volunteer
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Feed the Ducks

– Feed the Ducks –
Many of us have grabbed a loaf of bread and headed to a pond or lake with our families to “feed the ducks.” That was before we knew it wasn’t good for them.
When ducks see us arrive with our loaf of bread, they hurry to greet us as they wait for treats. But bread is not healthy. It fills them up and provides little to no nutritional value.
Did you know that feeding ducks a high-protein, high-carbohydrate diet, which includes food such as bread, can cause a deformity known as Angel Wing? Angel Wing occurs when the wing bones grow too fast, causing joints to swivel and making the duck unable to fly. Ducks with Angel Wing cannot fly to new food sources and may be ousted from their flock.
So, what do ducks eat?
In the wild, ducks forage for snails, worms, insects, frogs, salamanders, fish and fish eggs, nuts, fruits, berries, and plants.
When we know better, we do better.
Good snack foods for ducks include lettuce, cabbage, kale, pea shoots, cucumber, corn, peas, beans, broccoli, beets, squash, flowers, alfalfa, tomatoes, eggplant, peeled bananas, pineapple, and pomegranate seeds.
Remember: Don’t let ducks become dependent on you for food or allow them to fill up on snacks, no matter how healthy they may be. Nature provides a healthy diet with all the nutrients ducks need.
Reference: Blog Education National Geographic


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Wood Duck

Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa) are unique among ducks. They are boxy, with a crested head, a thin neck, and a long broad tail. They measure 18.5-21.3 inches with a wingspan of 26.0-28.7 inches and weigh 16.0-30.4 oz. In good light, males have a glossy green head that can appear iridescence with white stripes cut along the head. The breast is chestnut, and the sides are buffy. In low lights, males appear dark overall with paler sides. Females are gray-brown with white-speckled breasts. Juveniles are very similar to females. Wood Ducks have an extensive range and are found in most of the United States. Florida populations stay year-round.
Wood Ducks thrive in ponds, swamps, marshes, and lakes. Their diet consists of seeds, fruits, insects, and other arthropods. When aquatic foods are unavailable, they may travel to dry land to eat acorns and other nuts. To feed, they will take short, shallow dives. Wood Ducks are not territorial; however, a male may fight off other males approaching his mate. A mating pair may preen each other. Egg-dumping, or “intraspecific brood parasitism,” is common in Wood Ducks; females will visit other Wood Duck nesting sites to lay eggs and leave them to be raised by another female. Individuals will typically lay 10-11 eggs per clutch, but with the result of egg-dumping, some nests can have as many as 30 eggs! Even so, only 1-2 will hatch. The incubation period is 28-37 days. The eggs vary from creamy white to tan. Chicks hatch alert with a full coat of down. A day after hatching, they’ll leave the nest by jumping. The Wood Duck population has increased and is stable, making them a low conservation concern.
Photo Credit: Lynn Marie
Author: Destiny Alvarez – Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Oregon
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Ring-necked Duck

The Ring-necked Duck is a commonly seen medium-sized duck that winters in Florida. After breeding in the northern United States and Canada, it migrates to the southern US.
Look closely at the picture, and you will see the brown ring around the duck’s neck. Look for Ring-necked Ducks foraging near the surface of the water for hydrilla. This diving duck finds most of its food under the water. Seeds and plants make up most of their diet. Insects, clams, and snails are an occasional treat.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
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Blue-winged Teal

Blue-winged Teals, Spatula discors, are dabbling ducks who migrate long distances to their winter homes. These small ducks breed in Canada and the United States before heading south to places as far away as South America. They are one of the earliest migrants to arrive in Florida.
Look for Blue-winged Teals in marshes and wetlands swimming in tranquil brackish water or freshwater. They can often be seen in groups with other dabbling ducks. Their diet includes aquatic insects, snails, crustaceans, and vegetation. However, in winter, they add more seeds such as water lilies and rice to their diets. Watch Blue-winged teals find food by dipping their bills into the water or immersing their heads in the water in a “bottoms-up” posture.
Photo Credit: David Gale and KonStudio
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Canada Goose

The Canada Goose, Branta canadensis, is a year-round resident of Central Florida. However, some Canada Geese breed in the Arctic and migrate south for the winter. Look for these striking geese foraging in fields, parks, golf courses, and urban and suburban lawns or dabbling in ponds, lakes, and wetlands. Their winter diet consists of berries, seeds, and grains. During the summer, they prefer sedges and grasses.
Canada Geese who call Florida home mate in spring. The female builds a nest of plant material and grasses on the ground. She lays 2-8 eggs and incubates them for about 30 days while her mate guards the nest. If threatened, the couple who have mated for life will aggressively defend their nest. The goslings often remain with their parents for a year.
Fun Fact: Canada geese choose mates who are close to them in size. Scientists refer to this process as assortative mating.
Photo Credit Andy Waldo
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Snow Goose

Snow geese in Florida? Well. yes! Apparently, these two snow geese are spending their winter at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.
Snow Geese, Anser caerulescens, have white bodies with black wingtips that can be seen when in flight. Their thick bills are pink with a black line across the bottom. The blue morph Snow Goose pictured below was also spotted at Lake Apopka. Snow Geese spend winter in wetlands, cornfields, near lakes, and in marshes. They are vegetarians so look for them devouring grasses, sedges, crops, grains, berries, and entire plants. These loud honking birds mate for life.
Snow Geese from the eastern, western, and central populations breed in the arctic with some as far away as Greenland and Siberia. The regional populations usually fly in groups of at least a few dozen and up to several hundred thousand birds to areas in the east, central, and western US where they will spend their winters. Eastern populations of Snow Geese are normally found as far south as the northeastern coast of South Carolina. In the central US, central populations typically winter as far east as western Alabama. While uncommon, there have been several sightings of Snow Geese throughout Florida.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon and Andy Waldo
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Hooded Merganser

Hooded Mergansers, Lophodytes cucullatus, are easy to spot with their distinctive crests. Males sport a striking black and white crest while females look regal with their copper crests. Many of these common small ducks spend their winters in Florida. Hooded Mergansers generally arrive late in the fall and leave early in the spring for northern breeding territories.
Look for small groups of Hooded Mergansers in wetlands, marshes, swamps, flooded forests, and estuaries where they thrive in shallow freshwater or brackish bays. Watch them as they dive to catch small insects, fish, amphibians, and crustaceans. See them run across the water before taking flight and skidding across the water as they land.
Fun Fact: Hooded Mergansers have an extra eyelid that is see-thru. They use this nictitating membrane like a pair of goggles when swimming.
Photo Credit: Andy Waldo and Dan Kon
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Fulvous Whistling-Duck

Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, Dendrocygna bicolor, are found year-round in rice fields in central Florida. Look for them in flooded pastures, irrigated lands, ponds, lakes, freshwater marshes, slow-moving rivers, and freshwater wetlands. Once known as the Fulvous Tree Duck, these birds roost in the trees of forested areas next to their water source. They may flock with Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks. As winter approaches, watch for them to appear in greater numbers in freshwater marshes and wetlands.
These striking caramel and black ducks with their oversized bluish-gray legs forage in water that is less than 20 inches deep. Dinner consists of mostly seeds from aquatic plants and some invertebrates. Fulvous Whistling-Ducks can be seen wading or swimming while foraging by diving, tipping up, or dabbling to find food with their bills. Their thick bills are made to filter the food from the mud. You may also find them plucking an insect from vegetation for a tasty snack.
In mid-April, Fulvous Whistling-Ducks leave their flocks to begin the mating season. Mated pairs are bonded for years and sometimes for life, although the males may sometimes mate with more than one female. Together, the male and female choose the nest site in a dense marsh above the water or on the ground near the water. They build the nest by weaving stalks and grasses into a 14-inch bowl shape that is 4.3 inches deep. Most include a ramp to the water. The clutch size is 2 – 14 eggs and the female and male share the task of incubation for 24 – 25 days. Although the young leave the nest soon after hatching, instinctually know how to swim and dive as well as forage., both parents look after them until they fledge two months later.
Photo Credit: Dan Kon
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Northern Shoveler

The Northern Shoveler, Spatula clypeata, is a wide-ranging duck species and a winter resident of Florida. After spending the summer months breeding in the west-central part of the United States running north all the way up to Alaska, Northern shovelers move south as winter approaches. But they don’t just occur in the Americas. This duck can be found across Europe and Asia, and winter down into Africa and India.
The males are strikingly colored, with green heads similar to a mallard, orange bodies, and a white chest. The females are mottled brown, similar to female mallards. But there is no mistaking these for mallards. One look at their large, flat, spoon-like bill immediately gives them away.
And it’s that very bill that allows them to feed. These ducks feed on tiny zooplankton and other small invertebrates and seeds. They sweep their head back and forth, filtering the water with tiny projections called lamellae. These lamellae work like a colander to sift out their food from the water. Oftentimes, you may observe large groups of shovelers swimming rapidly in a circle. This behavior creates a vortex that stirs food up from deeper waters allowing the group to feed.
The Northern Shoveler is one of the most common duck species found in the US. With populations over 5 million, it only trails mallards and blue wing teals for overall abundance. Found in shallow wetlands and marshes, in Florida, you can enjoy these visitors throughout the winter. They can be easily seen in places such as Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, and many other easy-to-access wetlands.
As the weather begins to cool, head out and enjoy this species, as well as all the other birds who come down to visit us during the winter months.
Photo Credit: Andy Waldo
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Cinnamon Teal

Cinnamon Teal Spatula cyanoptera (septentrionalium) –

This beautiful male Cinnamon Teal decided to visit Florida in February. As you can see in the map pictured below, these migratory ducks are native to the western US and Mexico. According to The Cornell Lab, “In western North America, loss of wetlands to agriculture, grazing, and especially the development of human settlements has meant the massive loss of habitat for Cinnamon Teal.”

We are sure this striking bird found plenty to eat in the wetlands at Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge. There is certainly a wide variety of insects and vegetation year-round in Florida. While it is a rare occurrence, Cinnamon Teals do occasionally make a winter stop in Florida.

Photo Credit: Andy Waldo

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Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

Once known as Tree Ducks, the striking Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, (Dendrocygna autumnalis), are often seen in flocks, sometimes with up to 1000 birds. They can be spotted perching on fences, electric lines, or in Spanish Moss.

Look for Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks near freshwater in areas such as marshes, lagoons, and swamps. They prefer areas with trees and thick vegetation. You may find a flock foraging in a field, mangroves, freshwater ponds or lakes, or your yard. Their diets consist of mostly plants such as grasses, wetland plants, and sedges, as well as agricultural crops such as corn. Snacks include spiders, leeches, beetles, and snails.

Pairs form life-long bonds in the winter. Together, they will select a tree cavity for the nest. The female will lay 9-18 eggs on the debris in the cavity. She may also lay her eggs in the nest of another whistling duck. The incubation period lasts for 25-30 days and the nestling period for 10-13 days. Hatchlings are nearly independent at birth.

As year-round residents of Florida, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are rapidly expanding their breeding range northward. Once considered non-migratory, both the northern-most and southern-most populations are now migratory.

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