Ring-necked Duck
| Category | Fact |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aythya collaris |
| Wing spread | 28 inches |
| Body length | 17 inches |
| Weight | 1.6 pounds |
| Description | The ring-necked duck is medium-sized.Males have a purplish iridescent head, black back, white belly and reddish ring around the neck. Females are a nondescript gray brown. Both sexes have a gray bill with white ring and black tip, dark grayish with greenish iridescence on shoulder of wing and a dull pearl gray speculum. |
| Nesting Habitat | Ring-necked ducks generally nest over water on floating vegetation mats or in clumps of emergent vegetation. |
| Clutch size | 9 eggs |
| Incubation period | 26 days |
| Status in North Dakota | The ring-necked duck is uncommon during nesting and fall migratory seasons in North Dakota, and often seen in association with scaup. |
| Food habits | Feeds on aquatic insects, bulrush seeds, sedge and smartweed, as well as the leafy portions of coontail and duckweed. |
| Fun Facts | Ring-necked ducks tend to feed in shallower water than other diving ducks, usually less than 6 feet deep. Also, they tend to leap into flight like puddle ducks and at times tip up to feed. |