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Cool Facts |
Photo
taken from:
The
Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by
David Allen Sibley
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- The American Black Duck occasionally strays from its normal range.
One female banded in New Brunswick, Canada turned up in France.
- The American Black Duck has suffered somewhat from the introduction
of captive-raised Mallards into its breeding range. The species
hybridize (interbreed), and the Mallard may take over some breeding
spots from the black duck. Still, the black duck seems to be holding its
own in most of its range.
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Description |
Adult Description
- Large dabbling duck.
- Body dark blackish-brown.
- Head and neck lighter brown.
- Legs and feet red.
- White underwing linings contrast sharply with dark body in
flight.
Male Description
Bill olive green to yellow. Markings of chest feathers U-shaped. Eclipse
plumage similar, but chest feathers without internal markings. |
Female Description
Slightly paler. Bill olive to greenish-gray, with dark markings.
Markings of chest feathers V-shaped.Immature Description
Similar to adult. Underparts more heavily streaked. |
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Range Map |
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Taxonomic Hierarchy |
© 2003 Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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Kingdom: |
Animalia |
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Phylum: |
Chordata |
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Subphylum: |
Vertebrata |
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Class: |
Aves |
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Order: |
Anseriformes |
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Family: |
Anatidae |
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Subfamily: |
Anatinae |
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Genus: |
Anas |
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Species: |
Anas rubripes |
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Sound |
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A raspy "quack."
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Identification and
Information
See
Anatomy
of a Bird
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Body |
- Length
Range: 48-58 cm (19-23 in)
- Weight:
1406 g (49.6 oz)
- Size:
Large (16 - 32 in)
- Color
Primary: Brown, Sheen or Iridescence
- Underparts:
Brown-black
- Upperparts:
Brown-black
- Back
Pattern: Scaled or Scalloped
- Belly
Pattern: Scaled or Scalloped
- Breast
Pattern: Mottled
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Head |
- Bill Shape:
Spatulate
- Eye Color:
Medium brown.
- Head
Pattern: Eyeline, Capped, Streaked
- Crown Color:
Gray-brown
- Forehead
Color: Gray-brown
- Nape Color:
Dark Brown
- Throat
Color: Gray-brown
- Cere color:
No Data
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Flight |
- Flight
Pattern: Direct flight with rapid wing
beats.
- Wingspan
Range: 84-91 cm (33-36 in)
- Wing Shape:
Tapered-Wings
- Tail Shape:
Pointed Tail
- Tail
Pattern: Dark Brown
- Upper Tail:
Dark Brown
- Under Tail:
Brown-black
- Leg Color:
Orange
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Breeding |
- Breeding Location:
Lakes, Marshes, freshwater, Swamps
- Breeding Type:
Monogamous, Solitary nester
- Breeding Population:
Fairly common
- Egg Color:
Creamy white to green buff
- Number of Eggs:
6 - 12
- Incubation Days:
26 - 29
- Egg Incubator:
Female
- Nest Material:
Scrape on the ground, constructed from
leaves, grass, twigs, pine needles, and
lined with down and feathers
- Migration: Migratory
- Condition at Hatching: Covered in
down and able to leave the nest soon after
hatching.
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Other Names |
Similar Species |
- Canard noir (French)
- Ánade sombrio americano (Spanish)
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- Female Mallard has bold white borders to speculum, orange bill,
whitish tail feathers, pale belly, and is paler overall.
- Eclipse male Mallard has paler appearance, rusty wash on chest, and
white borders to the speculum.
- Mottled Duck has paler appearance, broader buffy edging and internal
markings on the body feathers, a greenish-blue speculum with a narrow
white trailing edge, and a black spot at the base of the bill at the
gape.
- Male hybrid of Mallard and American Black Duck usually has some
green on the head.
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Conservation Status |
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American Black Duck numbers declined significantly in mid
20th century. Hunting was restricted in 1983, and
populations stabilized and then started to increase. The
United States and Canada started the Black Duck Joint
Venture |
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Habitat |
Sources used to
Construct this Page: |
- Breeds in a variety of wetland habitats, from salt marshes
to beaver ponds, river islands, and boreal bogs.
- Winters primarily in salt water along coasts, but in a
variety of freshwater areas inland.
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- Longcore, J. R., D. G. McAuley, G. R. Hepp, and J.
M. Rhymer. 2000. American Black Duck (Anas rubripes).
In The Birds of North America, No. 481 (A.
Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America,
Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
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Food |
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Seeds, roots, stems, grain, aquatic plants, aquatic insects,
crustaceans, mollusks, and some fish. |
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Behavior |
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Dabbles. Filter-feeds at surface of water. Tips-up in shallow water.
Makes occasional dives in deeper water. |
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