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!
On March 23, 2022, I was able to film a ring-necked duck at the Meer in Central Park. I made a video showing off the duck’s intrepid dives.
Ring-necked duck, Harlem Meer, Central Park, March 23, 2022
Ring-necked duck, November 20, 2014, 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.
January 19, 2016
Male (top) and female ring-necked ducks, the Reservoir, Jan. 9, 2018
These ring-necks were seen at the Reservoir in January 2018.
The Filming the Feathers video features the ring-necked ducks I've seen in 2013, 2014, 2015 and January 2016. It is set to Mozart. I think all the videos were taken at the Reservoir.
The photos that follow are from 2014, 2015 and 2016.
