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Puddle Ducks

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Ducks that typically feed in and around shallow water. When they feed, puddle ducks skim their bills along the surface or stick their heads under water, leaving their feet sticking up out of the water. In takeoff, puddle ducks spring up off the water.

Green-winged Teal Smallest of puddle ducks, about ¾ pound, up to 14 inches long. Male: tan chest with dark spots, head is cinnamon with iridescent green eye mask. Speculum (trailing edge of wing next to body) is iridescent green and black. Swift and erratic flyers. Female: mottled brown body with wings like male.

Blue-winged Teal Small duck, less than 1 pound, 12–16 inches long. Male: often mottled brown body, feet dull gold. Coverts (wing shoulder) is sky blue with trailing white bar. Speculum is green. Erratic flyers. Female: similar to male except white bar is less distinct.

Shoveler Medium-sized duck, 1¼1½ pounds, 18–20 inches long. Male: early season will have mottled gray-brown body. Late season will have cinnamon belly and iridescent green head. Broad, spoon-shaped bill. Coverts are sky blue with trailing white bar. Speculum is green. Shaft of primary feathers is distinctively white. Female: drab brown, spoon-shaped bill. Coverts are tinged sky blue with trailing white bar. Green speculum.

Mallard Large duck, 2½–3 pounds, 24–28 inches long. Male: chestnut chest, dark rump, white tail. Brilliant green head, yellowish bill. Speculum is bright blue with leading and trailing white bars. Female: drab brown, white tail. Orange bill with dark blotches. Wings similar to male with leading white bar extending towards body.

Pintail Large duck, 22½ pounds, 2227 inches long. Male: white neck, chest and belly. Brown head, blue bill with black strip down the middle. Elongated black tail. Gray wing, iridescent green-bronze speculum. Speculum has dark tan leading edge and white trailing edge. Female: drab brown with gray-blue bill. Wings are brown with a duller bronze speculum than male.

Wood Duck Medium-sized duck, up to 1½ pounds, 15–18 inches long. Male: dark iridescent back, cinnamon chest, tan sides. Red eyes and multicolored bill. Coverts and speculum are iridescent green, purple and blue with trailing white bar. Female: drab brown, white eye ring, black bill. Wings similar to male, but with teardrop-shaped white trailing edge.

Liron Gertsman

Gadwall Medium-sized duck, 1½–2 pounds, 18–20 inches long. Male: gray-brown body, white belly. Dark bill. Coverts are cinnamon trailing into black. White speculum. Female: mottled brown with white belly. Yellow-orange bill. Wings are similar to males but with less color on the wing. White speculum.

American Wigeon Medium-sized duck, 1½2 pounds, 1820 inches long. Male: tan back and sides, white belly. Crown of head is white, green eye mask. Short, gray-blue bill. Coverts are white, speculum is green shading to black. Female: mottled brown with distinct white belly. Gray head with dark speckles, gray-blue bill. Brown coverts edged with white. Speculum is dull greenish black.

Regulations in red are new this year.

Purple text indicates an important note.

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