Small duck with white spot on its head

by Wayne Kuykendall
(Folsom, CA)

Unknown duck with female Common Merganser

Unknown duck with female Common Merganser

Unknown duck with female Common Merganser
Unknown duck with female Common Merganser
Unknown duck alone
Unknown duck alone

Currently there are a lot of these ducks on Lake Natoma near Folsom in Northern California. They've just arrived in the past few weeks so I assume they are migrating.

That is a female Common Merganser next to it so you can see it is much smaller. In addition to the white mark on the black head behind the eye it has a black eye and bill. I've checked all my sources and can't identify it. Can you help?


Comment

I believe the other duck is a female Bufflehead. It winters on lakes and rivers or saltwater bays.

Susan

Comments for
Small duck with white spot on its head

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Nov 15, 2010
 BUFFLEHEAD
by: Anonymous

There is a saying Trust then verify so I did. There is a good picture of this duck on the website.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bufflehead
Nov 10, 2010
 Thank you Susan!
by: Wayne Kuykendall

I'm sure you nailed it. I had looked and the Bufflehead but had only seen pictures of the male and it looks very different.

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