Tufted Duck
The Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) is a medium-sized diving duck with a population of close to one million birds.
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| Aythya fuligula |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/42244964@N03/
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| Aythya fuligula |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eddzpics/
Description
The adult male is all black except for white flanks and a blue-grey bill. It has an obvious head tuft that gives the species its name. The adult female is brown with paler flanks, and is more easily confused with other diving ducks. In particular, some have white around the bill base which resembles the scaup species, although the white is never as extensive as in those ducks.
The only duck which is at all similar is the drake North American Ring-necked Duck, which however has a different head shape, no tuft and greyish flanks.
The only duck which is at all similar is the drake North American Ring-necked Duck, which however has a different head shape, no tuft and greyish flanks.
