Copyright: monacoeye • France • Mar-Jun 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Tufted Duck
Latin: Aythya fuligula
Other: Fuligule morillon (Fr) • Porrón moñudo(Es) • Reiherente (De) • Moretta (It)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
Range: Widespread Eurasia - Africa, N Asia
Similar: Greater Scaup

Wild Tufted Ducks winter in the Camargue, but I’ve also seen them in a park in Nice in the summer, perhaps feral.

The male Tufted Duck (above) has a round purple head and bright yellow iris, with long tuft at back of head, bluish bill and white flanks.

The female Tufted Duck (directly below) and juveniles have dark plumage. Males in eclipse plumage also have dark flanks (see “more photos”).

Directly below, female Tufted Duck, Iceland, May, 2011


Directly below, male and female, Iceland, May.
More photos...

Copyright: monacoeye • Alpes Maritimes • March 2010 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Red Breasted Merganser
Latin: Mergus serrator
Other: Harle huppé (Fr) • Mittelsäger (De) • Serreta mediana (Es) • Длинноносый крохаль (Ru) • Småskrake (Sw)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks, Mergansers
Range: Iceland, Northern Eurasia and America, winters on coasts of China, US, Europe
Similar: Common Merganser

This is the second consecutive year I have seen Red-breasted Mergansers fishing in exactly the same spot in March in the sea off the coast near Cannes.

This area is not marked on the Collins distribution map, but Red-breasted Mergansers are known to winter further east and west on the Mediterranean coast, before flying north to their summer breeding grounds.

Females, juveniles and eclipses can be identified by their thin red bill, striped face, short punky haircut, diffuse neck line, and black line running through white speculum on open wing (see below), the latter differentiating them from Goosanders in flight.

Above juveniles or females. Below, an adult male Red Breasted Merganser, with red irises, dark head, white collar, and dark wings with white patch with black lines.

Below, a male Red-breasted Mergansers off the Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland, in May.
More photos...

Copyright: AW/monacoeye • Geneva, Switzerland • June • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Common Merganser
Latin: Mergus merganser
Other: Goosander (UK) • Harle Bièvre, Grand Harle (Fr) • Gänsesäger (De) • Smergo comune (It)
Family: Anatidae • Ducks, Mergansers
Range: Widespread North America, Eurasia
SImilar: Red-breasted Merganser

The Goosander, or Common Merganser, is found in northern parts of the world - its reach does not extend down to the Côte d'Azur, however. These Goosanders were photographed by Lake Geneva.

The male, above, has dark upperparts, and light underparts. Females and juveniles have reddish heads and greyish bodies. Juveniles have a white line below the eye.

More photos...

Photos copyright: AW/monacoeye • Do not copy • Iceland • May 2010

Bird name: Greater Scaup
Latin: Aythya marila
Other: Scaup
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
Range: Iceland, Northern Europe, some US.

Thanks to Alexia for sending this Scaup photo from Iceland. The Scaup is similar looking to its cousin the Tufted Duck, but is lightly patterned on the top of its back and has no crest. The female is duller and browner, with a white patch at base of bill (see “more photos”)

Scaup breed in Iceland and northern Scandinavia and Russia in the summer, descending mostly to the north Atlantic coastline in the winter.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Nice, France • May June 09 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Hooded Merganser
Latin: Mergus cucullatus
Other:
Family: Anatidae • Mergansers • Ducks

Although native to North America, these Hooded Mergansers are from a park in Nice, presumably captive, though there are many escapes.More photos...

Photos copyright: monacoeye • Danube Delta, Romania • May 2009 • Do not copy without permission

Bird name: Ferruginous Duck
Latin: Aythya nyroca
Other: Fuligule nyroca
Family: Anatidae • Ducks

The Ferruginous Duck seemed to be the most common duck in the Delta on my visit. The only other species I saw was the Mallard.More photos...

Bird name: Red Crested Pochard
Latin: Netta rufina
Other: Nette Rousse
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
More photos...

Bird name: Common Pochard
Latin: Aytha ferina
Other: Fuligule Milouin
Family: Anatidae • Ducks
More photos...