"Ring" on the Ring-necked Duck

Why is the Ring-necked Duck called "ring-necked?" I talked with a neighbor who has been birding since he was a youngster. He has never seen the "ring" on the Ringed-neck Duck. He is not a duck hunter; he is a duck peeper. So he has never held the bird in his hand. The same is true for many (perhaps most) birders today, with the consequence that the name is something of a mystery. Check with your bird guides, and you may find  something like this: "Despite name, brown neck ring is very hard to see ..." (Kaufman).

In this old photo (taken with a super-zoom 3 years ago, you will see no sign of a ring on the neck of the 8 drakes ...

Ring-necked Ducks - Turner's Falls, MA, March, 2009

So you can imagine how excited I was when I saw the "ring" on the Ring-necked Duck.

Last week, I did a morning trip to Forsythe NWR (Brigantine). A few Ring-necked Ducks were diving in several different ponds. With good light, and a drake with his neck stretched, the brown (or cinnamon) ring on his neck was visible ...

Ring-necked Duck, Forsythe NWR, NJ, March 7, 2012

Ring-necked Ducks - hen (l), drake (r)

Good Birding!!