Diving Ducks
Here's a list of all the UK Diving Ducks:
Velvet Scoter
Velvet Scoters are remarkable for their bold, contrasting colours and robust build. Males are predominantly black with a distinctive white eye patch and a conspicuous white wing patch.
Their large, bulbous bill is a vivid yellow, adding a splash of colour to their otherwise dark plumage. Females, on the other hand, sport a more subdued brown colouration with paler head patches and white wing markings.
Both sexes showcase a hefty body and long wings, measuring around 51 to 58 cm in length with a wingspan stretching between 86 to 99 cm.
Differences Between Male and Female Velvet Scoters
Distinguishing male and female Velvet Scoters is quite straightforward.
Males boast a glossy black plumage with a yellow-edged bill and a unique white mark near the eye.
Females, however, are cloaked in dark brown with less pronounced white head patches and a darker bill. During flight, both genders reveal the characteristic white wing patches, a key identification feature of this species.
Learn moreTufted Duck
The Tufted Duck is a charming, medium-sized diving bird, slightly smaller than the familiar Mallard. Recognisable by their bold black and white colouring, the males boast a sleek black head, neck, breast, and back, contrasted by striking white sides.
Notably, both sexes flaunt a unique feather tuft at the back of their heads, with males displaying a more pronounced version. They have golden-yellow eyes and a small crest, with a notable white stripe across the wing in flight. Measuring 40-47 cm in length with a wingspan of 67-73 cm, they are a frequent sight across the UK’s water bodies.
Differences Between Male And Female Tufted Ducks
Males are distinguished by their stark black and white plumage and a blue-grey bill. In contrast, females wear a more subdued brown attire with paler flanks, occasionally showing white around the bill base. While the male is mostly silent, the female’s vocalisation is a distinctive, harsh “karr”, primarily heard in flight.
Learn moreScaup
Scaups are striking diving ducks, often confused with Tufted Ducks.
The males boast a splendid black head, shoulders, and breast, contrasted with white flanks and a grey back. Their black tails add to their distinct appearance. Females, meanwhile, wear a brown plumage adorned with prominent white patches near their bill.
When these birds take flight, they reveal white stripes along their wing’s back edge.
Differences Between Male And Female Scaups
Male and female Scaups differ notably. Males display a glossy greenish-black head, lacking the crest seen in Tufted Ducks, and have a rounder shape.
Their white flanks and grey backs set them apart. Females are brown but can be easily identified by the bold white patch around the bill base, more striking than in any female Tufted Duck. Juvenile Scaups, usually dark brown, might exhibit a subtle white bill patch.
Learn moreRuddy Duck
Ruddy Ducks are distinctive small ducks with stout bills shaped like a scoop, and long, tough tails, often held positioned upward. Their heads peak slightly and they have short but thick necks.
Differences Between Male and Female Ruddy Ducks
Male Ruddy Ducks are known for their striking summer plumage, featuring a rich chestnut body, black cap, and a bright blue bill. In contrast, females and juvenile males are less vibrant, with overall brownish tones, a dark cap, and a less distinct cheek stripe.
During the winter, both sexes adopt a duller appearance, though the males retain their characteristic cap and cheek patterns.
Learn moreRed-Throated Diver
Red-Throated Divers are recognised by their grey and brown plumage and up-tilted bill. In summer, they are known for their characteristic red throat. They are agile in water but quite clumsy on land, coming ashore only for breeding.
Differences Between Male And Female Red-Throated Divers
There are no significant visible differences between male and female Red-Throated Divers. Both sexes share a similar grey-brown plumage, with males slightly larger in size.
Learn moreRed-Crested Pochard
Red-Crested Pochards are large diving ducks, boasting a length of 53-57cm and a wingspan of 85-90cm. These ducks are known for their remarkable appearance and robust build.
Differences Between Male And Female Red-Crested Pochards
Males are vibrant, featuring a rounded, orange head and a red bill, contrasting with a black breast and white flanks. The female, however, has palish brown body, white cheeks, and a brown cap.
In flight, both sexes display a thick white wing stripe and whitish underwings.
Learn morePochard
The Pochard is known for its unique appearance. Male Pochards boast a vibrant red-brown head, contrasting with their black tail and breast, and a palish grey body during winter and spring. The females, more understated, are brown-coloured with a greyish body and pale cheeks.
Differences Between Male And Female Pochards
While males are distinctly coloured with vibrant heads and contrasting bodies, females are more subdued in their brown and grey plumage. However, during eclipse, which is when males grow new feathers, they resemble females more closely, sporting a more camouflaged look.
Learn moreLong-Tailed Duck
Long-Tailed Ducks are small, elegantly shaped sea ducks, notable for their round-shaped heads and steep foreheads. In winter, males are predominantly white with brown-black markings and exhibit remarkably elongated tail feathers, which are their namesake.
Females display a browner plumage. When flying, their dark wings contrast sharply with their white bellies.
Differences Between Male And Female Long-Tailed Ducks
Females are generally browner than males, who in winter boast a strikingly white appearance with distinct black markings.
Learn moreLittle Grebe
Little Grebes are charming, small water birds with a distinct appearance. In summer, they sport a chestnut throat and cheeks, with a pale patch at the bill’s base.
Outside the breeding season, they have a more subdued look with buff plumage, but their ‘fluffy’ rear end is a year-round characteristic.
Differences Between Male And Female Little Grebes
Male and female Little Grebes are similar in plumage and size, though females can be slightly smaller. Both sexes undergo significant changes in appearance between seasons, making them a fascinating species to observe throughout the year.
Learn moreGreat Northern Diver
The Great Northern Diver, the largest of the UK’s divers, stands out with its hefty head and bill. Adults divers in breeding plumage display black-coloured backs with white spots, a glossy black head, and a necklace-like pattern on the neck.
Their bill is stark black, deep red eyes, and their legs are dark. In winter, they transition to a brownish-grey upper body with a white underbelly. Juveniles resemble adults in non-breeding plumage but with additional buffy scales on their upper parts.
Differences Between Male And Female Great Northern Divers
Males and females are similar in appearance, though males are generally larger and heavier.
Learn moreGreat Crested Grebe
The Great Crested Grebe is a symbol of elegance on UK waters. Distinguished by its striking white and black plumage, this bird is the largest member of the grebe family in the Old World.
In summer, adults boast a black head with a ruff of chestnut and black, and a white face. The body is adorned in shades of grey-brown, rust, and white, while the bill is pinkish and it has deep red eyes. During winter, the plumage is duller and lacks the ruff.
Differences Between Male and Female Great Crested Grebes
Males and females share a similar appearance, although males tend to be slightly larger. Both sexes display the same intricate plumage and colours throughout the year.
Learn moreGoosander
Goosanders are handsome diving ducks known for their long, serrated bills, ideal for catching fish. With a length of 58-66 cm and a wingspan of 82-97 cm, these birds are a remarkable sight.
Differences Between Male And Female Goosanders
Male Goosanders boast a glossy green head and a striking blood-red beak. Their black wings and back contrast sharply with their white bodies, tinged salmon-pink during the breeding season.
Females and juveniles, on the other hand, have a gingery-orange head and grey body, with a clear delineation between the two.
Learn moreGoldeneye
Goldeneyes are distinctive ducks, known for their striking plumage and vibrant eyes.
Adult males showcase a glossy green head with a unique white patch between their eye and bill, set against a black and white body.
Females, on the other hand, are greyish-brown with a chocolate brown head and a whitish neck band. Both genders possess bright yellow eyes and black bills.
Differences Between Male And Female Goldeneyes
The most noticeable difference is in their colouration. Males have a bold, black and white pattern with a greenish-black head, while females display a subtler grey-brown plumage.
During the breeding season, these differences are more pronounced, with males exhibiting a more vibrant plumage.
Learn moreEider
Eiders are the UK’s heaviest and fastest-flying ducks, part of the genus Somateria.
Adult males are striking with a mix of black and white plumage and a distinctive sloping forehead that often extends almost to its crown. They boast a wingspan of 80-108 cm and can measure up to 71cm in length.
Eiders are easily recognisable by their size and unique bill shape.
Differences Between Male And Female Eiders
Male eiders are mostly white on their upper bodies and black below, with a black cap and pale green nape. The females, however, are warmish brown with dense black barring. Both sexes have a green to black beak and brown legs.
Learn moreEurasian Coot
Eurasian Coots, known for their slate-black body and glossy black head, boast a striking white bill and frontal shield.
These birds typically measure 36–38 cm in length and have a wingspan of 70–80 cm. Their strong toes have partial webbing, aiding their swimming prowess.
Differences Between Male And Female Eurasian Coots
In Eurasian Coots, both sexes appear similar, making it a challenge to distinguish between them based on physical characteristics alone.
Learn moreCommon Scoter
Common Scoters are distinctive seaducks with a robust build. The male is strikingly all-black with a yellow bill, while the female is a subtler dark brown with a paler face.
When flying, they form impressive lines along the coast and can be seen in large groups floating offshore.
Differences Between Male And Female Common Scoters
The male Common Scoter is easily identified by its entirely black plumage and distinctively yellow bill.
In contrast, the female is generally brown with lighter cheeks, making her more camouflaged against the coastal landscapes.
Learn moreBlack-Throated Diver
Black-Throated Divers are striking waterbirds, larger than Great Crested Grebes but smaller than Cormorants.
In summer, they display a beautiful black throat, a grey head, and neck, along with a distinctive black-and-white chequered back.
Come winter, their plumage transforms to dark grey above and white below, with a noticeable patch of white on the rear flanks.
Differences Between Male And Female Black-Throated Divers
The male and female Black-Throated Divers are visually similar, making it challenging to distinguish between them based on appearance alone.
Learn moreBlack-Necked Grebe
Black-Necked Grebes are small, captivating birds with golden tufts on their faces, contrasting with black heads and necks. Their steep foreheads give their heads a ‘peaked’ look.
These birds are a rare treat for birdwatchers, especially in winter.
Differences Between Male And Female Black-Necked Grebes
Males and females of this species are similar in appearance.
During the breeding season, both showcase ochre-coloured plumage extending behind their eyes over their ear coverts, set against a predominantly black to blackish brown body.
Learn more