Every time I see a ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris), I start to smile. This is one of the most delightful diving ducks around. Although the ring around the duck's neck is seldom seen, the stripe on the bill is always visible. Why isn't it called a ring-billed duck? I don't know, I didn't name them!
Ring-necked duck on the Reservoir, November 20, 2014
The latest Filming the Feathers video features the ring-necked ducks I've seen since 2013. It is set to Mozart. I think all the videos were taken at the Reservoir.
You can get a sense of the ring-necked duck's size next to this Canada goose. These ducks often hang out with the dabblers, and I've frequently seen them swimming with the mallards. They eat aquatic plants, including seeds, roots, and stems, as well as insects and mollusks. In the video, you'll see one ring-necked trying to eat a large acorn, dropping it, picking it up and dropping it again.
Ring-necked duck and Canada goose, January 19, 2016
These photos are from 2014, 2015 and January 2016. I hope I get to see more ring-neckeds as the ducks fly through this November.
