Eastern North America's shallow marshes are where you can find the American Black Duck lurking in plain sight. They frequently congregate with the common Mallard, where they resemble female Mallards quite a little. But if you look closely, you may spot an American Black Duck among a flock of brown ducks. It has dark chocolate-brown sides, a whitish face, and an olive-yellow beak. In the middle of the twentieth century, the population of this timid but common duck drastically decreased. Their population has been stabilized by hunting regulations, but habitat degradation is still an issue.
American Black Duck Specifications
American Black Duck ID
In eastern North America, seek American Black Ducks in fresh and saltwater. They resemble female Mallards but with an olive-yellow beak and darker, higher-contrast overall plumage. They favour sheltered water areas like saltmarshes and ponds and regularly mingle with other duck species, particularly mallards. In flocks of mallards, watch for a darker, colder-toned duck of comparable size; an American Black Duck's white underwings produce a brighter, more contrasted flash in flight than those of a mallard. Be careful that individuals with intermediate characteristics, such as a black body and a partly green head, may be seen since these two species commonly hybridize in eastern North America.
