I've received a duck from a friend and I don't know what it is. I know that it is a diver because of it's body and feet. It's body is about the same size as a lesser scaup(bluebill) and it's head is chocolate brown. It has a white breast. The bill is very short and stubby, the bill is black close to it's head then yellow with a black nail. It's feet are the same color yellow as it's bill.
Thanks for any help!
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Sounds like you either have a Hooded merganser hen, or a common/Barrow's Goldeneye hen. However, neither of them really have a white breast. What do the wings look like? Is there any white on them? Or are they grey?
The comparison with the scaup fits the ruddy duck male in winter plumage along the Atlantic flyway.
It's definitely not a hooded merganser, the bill is not that narrow nor as long. I was thinking ruddy, but the bill is not blue and the tail is not stiff. It's back is mostly brown in color. It's wings have white feathers closer to the body in the same are that a mallard has it's white feathers. Again, it's bill is uniquely short and stubby.
Determining whether it is a common or a Barrow's can be challenging, but it is possible. A close examination of the wings will tell you.
There is a website which has good photos of the wings of various species of ducks, and I remember that goldeneyes are well covered. I don't know it's address offhand, but a search engine should find it easily. Try: duck identification wings
I think it is sponsored by USFW but I'm not 100% sure.
It is a common goldeneye hen.
Thanks