Ducks are amazing waterfowl birds mostly seen in the Northern Hemisphere. They have beautiful plumage, a waddling gait, and a unique quack. All duck species are divided into three groups dabbling, diving, and perching depending on the behavior. Here is the list of 16 ducks with white stripes on thier heads,
Ducks With White Stripes On Thier Heads
1. Blue-winged Teal
The blue-winged teal is a duck species that belong to the swan family Anatidae. The body length of the species can grow between 36 to 41 cm in length and the average weight is between 280 to 499 grams. They are seen in North America and breeds from southern Alaska to Nova Scotia, and south to northern Texas. During the winter season, it migrates along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and south into the Caribbean islands and Central America. The diet includes mud flats, fields, or shallow water where there is floating and shallowly submerged vegetation plus abundant small aquatic animal life. The garage lifespan of blue-winged teams is between 10 to 17 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
2. Northern Pintail
The Northern pintail is one of the ducks with white stripes on thier heads and can be seen in a wide geographic distribution. The body length is between 51 to 76 cm in length and the average weight is between 450 to 1360 grams. The avarage top speed of the bird specie is 77 km/h with a total wingspan of between 80 to 95 cm. The avarice lifespan of Northern Pintail is upto 22 years. The dietary habits are omnivorous in nature and feed[ on plant material including seeds and rhizomes of aquatic plants, However, they also feed on roots, grain, and other seeds in fields.
3. Mandarin Duck
The Mandarin Duck is one of the closest relatives of the North American Wood duck and can be seen in the regions of Eastern Asia, China, Russia, Europe, and certain parts of North America. The medium size bird’s body length ranges between 8 to 10 inches in length and the average weight is between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds. The dietary habits are omnivore in nature and feed on various seeds. Insects, worms, snails, small fish, and frogs are on the menu during the spring. The avarage lifespan of a Mandarin duck is up to 12 years in captivity. It is also listed as one of the most colorful birds in the world.
4. Garganey
The garganey is a small dabbling duck that breeds in the regions of Europe and across the Palearctic. During migration, the entire population moves to southern Africa, India (in particular Santragachi), Bangladesh (in the natural reservoirs of Sylhet district), and Australasia during the winter of the Northern hemisphere. The primary diet consists of mollusks, aquatic insects, and their larvae, crustaceans, worms, leeches, young and spawn of frogs, and small fish. The average life span of Garganey is between 20 to 30 years.
5. White-cheeked Pintail
White-cheeked Pintail is one of the beautiful ducks with red eyes that was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae under its current scientific name. It is also known as Bahama pintail or summer duck and is considered one of the popular species of dabbling ducks. The body length ranges between 38 to 51 cm in length and the average weight is between 503 to 569 grams. The primary diet consists of aquatic plants (such as Ruppia), grass seeds, algae, and small creatures (such as insects and small aquatic invertebrates.
6. Baikal Teal
The Baikal teal also known as the bimaculate duck or squawk duck species mostly breeds in eastern Russia and winters in East Asia. The body length is between 39 to 43 centimeters and the average weight is around 1 pound. The female species is closely related to the female green-winged teal along with a distinctive white spot at the base of the bill and a white throat in the back of the eye. The avarage lifespan of a bail team is between 20 to 30 years in the wild.
Image Source: Tony
7. Harlequin Duck
Harlequin Duck is one of the most beautiful black and white ducks in the world where the name comes from Harlequin which is a colorfully dressed character in Commedia dell’arte. The body length ranges between 380 to 430 mm in length and the average weight is upto 600 grams. The avarage lifespan of a harlequin duck is between 12 to 14 years. The dietary habits are carnivores in nature and feed on mollusks, crustaceans, small fish, aquatic insects, and fish eggs.
8. Surf Scoter
The surf scoter is a duck species native to North America. During the breeding season, the duck species breed in Northern Canada and Alaska and winter along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America. The avarage lifespan of a surf scoter is upto 11 years. The primary diet includes mollusks, but also crustaceans, grasses, and small fishes. The body length ranges between 17 to 19 inches and the average weight is between 2-2.3 lb.
Image Source: Wikimedia
9. Common Goldeneye
The Common Goldeneye is one of the white ducks with black heads mostly seen in the northern boreal forests of North America and Siberia. The diving duck species is an uncommon wintering bird in Tennessee and may be found in the state from early November to early April. Talking about its appearance, the male head is greenish-black along with a bright white oval patch near the base of the bill and back, and the wings, and tail are black in color. It is also listed as one of the common Japanese birds in the world.
10. Bufflehead
The bufflehead is one of the popular white birds in Florida and was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758. Talking bout its appearance, the male species is black and white in color along with iridescent green and purple heads. There is a large white patch behind the eye, however, female species are grey-toned in color along with a smaller white patch behind the eye and a light underside. The duck species breeds in Alaska and Canada, however, during the winter season, it migrates to on the east and west coasts of North America and the southern United States.
11. Ruddy duck
The ruddy duck’s scientific name is Oxyura jamaicensis is a duck species that belongs to the family Anatidae. The body length of duck species is between 340 to 430 mm and the average weight is upto 560 grams. Talking about the appearance, they have scoop-shaped bills along with stiff tails that they often hold cocked upward. The male species have blackish caps that contrast with bright white cheeks and have short and thick necks. They are found in southern Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The avarage lifespan of a ruddy duck is between 2 to 13 years in the wild.
Image Source: Len Blumin
12. Masked Duck (Females Species)
The masked duck is a tiny stiff-tailed duck that is found in from Mexico to South America and also in the Caribbean. These duck species feed on seeds, roots, grasses, sedges, smartweeds, and plant material and hence mostly seen near ponds, swamps, mangroves, rice Plantations, and marsh vegetation. The avarage lifespan of masked duck species is not known in the wild. Taking about the apperance, the male has a rust-colored body along with a black face and mottled wings. The adult females have a barred brownish-gray body along with two horizontal, dark-colored white stripes running through the face.
Image Source: Wikimedia
13. Common Merganser (Females)
The Common Merganser is a large seaduck species found in the regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. The primary diet of these duck species is fish and nest in holes in trees. The body length is between 58 to 72 cm and the average weight is between 0.9 to 2 kilograms. Talking about the apperance, they have a crest of longer head feathers, but these usually lie smoothly rounded behind the head. The female species can be identified as gray-bodied with a white chest and rusty cinnamon heads. The average lifespan of common Merganser is upto 13 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
14. Hooded merganser
The Hooded merganser is one of the ducks with white stripes on thier heads that comes from North America. These white ducks with blackheads are the second smallest species of merganser and the only merganser species native to North America. Talking about the apperance, the female species comes with a narrow white patch over the lower breast and belly. Male species also look similar to females, however, their eyes are yellow and the female’s eyes are brown. The avarage lifespan of of hooded merganser is between 11 to 13 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
15. Barrow’s Goldeneye
Barrow’s Goldeneye is a duck species primarily seen in northwestern North America, but also scattered locations in eastern Canada and Iceland. It has been found that the female species used to return to the same breeding location every year and even use the same nesting sites. The male species always stay with thier mate during the breeding season and defend thier territory. These duck species are migratory and spend most of the winter in protected coastal waters or open inland waters. There is very little information about the breeding sites and patterns of the Barrow’s goldeneye.
Image Source: USFWS Mountain-Prairie
16. American Wigeon
The American wigeon is a species of dabbling duck found in North America. The body length is between 42 to 59 cm and the average weight is between 512 to 1330 grams. It is also known as baldpate and the male’s species can be identified with the help of green feathers around its eyes and a cream-colored cap running from the crown of its head to its bill. The white patch gives it the name baldpate and the belly of the duck species is also white. The average age lifespan of American wigeon is between 1.7 to 21 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
These are the ducks with white stripes on thier heads in the world. Kindly share and post your comments.
