Duck ID

[Eric Haynes]

I posted this on DHC too just to get more eyes on it.

I found this duck at the launch this morning after my hunt. I have seen these twice on the water and once in the air flying alone and never knew what it was, but I knew it wasn't something that I wanted. Looks like someone shot it and decided it wasn't something they wanted to be caught with so I snapped a picture to see what it is. It must have been from opening day because the eyes seem to be shriveled away, but the dried part seems to look orangish red?

[JGUN]

Hen wood duck. Shot a few if them so far this year.

[MOhuntingGuy]

Yep looks an awful lot like a hen woody.

[Goldfish]

That's a shame. Wood ducks are darn good eating. Might be a yearling hen from the looks of it.

[DeadEye_Dan]

Originally I was pissed, I mean who can't ID a wood duck??


But after reflecting for a few minutes, I have to say Kudos to Eric. Too many arseholes indiscriminately blast stuff without knowing what they are shooting, and just ground check them.
Good on you for laying off a bird you can't positively ID...now that you know, terminate with extreme prejudice.

[jehler]

Originally I was pissed, I mean who can't ID a wood duck??


But after reflecting for a few minutes, I have to say Kudos to Eric. Too many arseholes indiscriminately blast stuff without knowing what they are shooting, and just ground check them.
Good on you for laying off a bird you can positively ID...now that you know, terminate with extreme prejudice.

Yeah, I would never indiscriminately blast some unidentified bird on the water in our decoys at first light. Thank god it wasn't a grebe

[assateague]

It's only a grebe if somebody sees it.

[assateague]

Oh, and according to government biologists at the National Zoo in DC, that's a drake Greenwing Teal.

[jehler]

It's only a grebe if somebody sees it.

Funny, that's how I met jgun....allegedly

[QH's Paw]

It's only a grebe if somebody sees it.

FYI, there is no such thing as a piebill grebe. They are actually brown wing teal. The cops are in a conspiracy about it to generate revenue for Fish and Game and the DNR (where there are DNR). Well, at least that's what a guy at the boat ramp told me. Think it will hold up in court. He did mention he had been duck hunting 5 years and pretty much knew all about duck ID. Also, he said he was originally from Cali and a Spooney Pro guide.

[Goldfish]

Judging from what it looks like grebes eat (don't actually know, just guessing), I don't think I'd want to eat one anyways so they just get to add a little motion in the decoys for me.

[obxbufflehead]

Oh, and according to government biologists at the National Zoo in DC, that's a drake Greenwing Teal.

[JGUN]

It's only a grebe if somebody sees it.

FYI, there is no such thing as a piebill grebe. They are actually brown wing teal. The cops are in a conspiracy about it to generate revenue for Fish and Game and the DNR (where there are DNR). Well, at least that's what a guy at the boat ramp told me. Think it will hold up in court. He did mention he had been duck hunting 5 years and pretty much knew all about duck ID. Also, he said he was originally from Cali and a Spooney Pro guide.

That's what they are? Man I could have shot several limits over the weekend.

[Eric Haynes]

I wish I would have had a woodie with me when I took the picture. This one was about the size of a GWT and had crazy teeth. I don't know, guess I've never shot a hen woodie that looked so odd. Are the legs and bills different colors in juvies to mature? The rest of the bird looked like a wood duck, just crazy small and colors were way off to me. I usually don't shoot hens anyways, but I've never seen one look like this one did. Maybe I'm just crazy.

[JGUN]

Yep, just crazy.


But they do vary in color.

[Ajverret]

It's a very young bird. Iv had a case of mistaken ID before, I shot a Rudy duck thinkin it was a teal

[3legged_lab]

I wish I would have had a woodie with me when I took the picture. This one was about the size of a GWT and had crazy teeth. I don't know, guess I've never shot a hen woodie that looked so odd. Are the legs and bills different colors in juvies to mature? The rest of the bird looked like a wood duck, just crazy small and colors were way off to me. I usually don't shoot hens anyways, but I've never seen one look like this one did. Maybe I'm just crazy.

I think hen wood ducks are the only ones with the yellow eye ring. Correct?

[Eric Haynes]

As fas as I know yes. It was just the size, color, and teeth that threw me off. In the pics I posted, looks exactly like a wood duck. For some reason in hand it had me questioning myself. Any hen ive shot has been very distinct and pretty uniform.