American Black Duck vs Ring-necked Duck
Anas rubripes compared with Aythya collaris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | American Black Duck | Ring-necked Duck |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas rubripes | Aythya collaris |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 53.4 cm (21.0 in) | 39.0 cm (15.4 in) |
| Weight | 1211.25 g (42.73 oz) | 825.5 g (29.12 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in shallow coastal water; diet dominated by benthic … |
| Clutch Size | 1-17 | 6-14 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
American Black Duck only
None
Ring-necked Duck only
None
American Black Duck
Freshwater and brackish wetlands in eastern North America from Atlantic Canada south along the coast to Georgia. Breeds in northern bogs and wetlands. Winters on coastal marshes, estuaries, and freshwater lakes.
Ring-necked Duck
Breeds on boreal lakes and bogs in North America from Alaska and Canada south to the northern United States. Winters on freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and marshes across the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean.
Song & Call Comparison
American Black Duck
Female produces a loud, deep quacking series; male gives a low, raspy grunt. Voice is deeper and huskier than a Mallard; pairs call powerfully across northeastern North American wetlands.
Ring-necked Duck
Male produces a low, purring wheeze; female gives a harsh, rolling quack. The purring male call is understated; found on North American freshwater lakes; female calls are emphatic and nasal.
Geographic Range & Migration
American Black Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Breeds in western Arctic Canada and Alaska; winters along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Baja California.
Conservation Status
American Black Duck
Ring-necked Duck
How to Tell Them Apart
American Black Duck
Sooty dark brown body; head and neck paler buff with dark streaking. Iridescent purple speculum without white border. Males have yellow-green bill; females olive with orange blotches. Silvery underwings in …
Ring-necked Duck
Males black back and breast; gray flanks with white vertical mark near breast. Iridescent dark purple head with subtle chestnut neck ring. Bill blue-gray with white ring near tip. Females …
About These Birds
American Black Duck
A large dark brown dabbling duck closely resembling a very dark female Mallard, with purple speculum, yellowish-olive bill in males, and orange legs. Common in eastern North America. Hybridizes freely with Mallard; pure populations declining in the interior.
Ring-necked Duck
A medium-sized diving duck. Males have a glossy black head and breast, white flank stripe, and a grey bill with a white ring near the tip; females are brown. Named for an inconspicuous brown neck ring. Common in North America. Dives for aquatic plants and invertebrates.