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December Migratory Bird Blog
By Kelsey Condell
By Kelsey Condell
For the month of December, we want to turn the spotlight on some of our favorite visitors- dabbling ducks! These ducks breed in the north but spend the winters with us in more temperate regions such as Long Beach. Winter is a wonderful time to see these beautiful migrators.
Dabbling ducks are ducks that feed at the surface of shallow waters or by tipping head first into the water. These birds dive infrequently and also may forage on land for seeds and insects. Dabbling ducks tend to have broad, flat bills and float high in the water. Many dabbling ducks can be spotted here in Long Beach and Seal Beach.
Dabbling ducks are ducks that feed at the surface of shallow waters or by tipping head first into the water. These birds dive infrequently and also may forage on land for seeds and insects. Dabbling ducks tend to have broad, flat bills and float high in the water. Many dabbling ducks can be spotted here in Long Beach and Seal Beach.
Male Northern shoveler, By Bill Thompson Perhaps you have spotted a duck that looks like a mallard, but has a strange spoon-shaped bill. Northern shovelers (Anas clyptea) are a medium-sized duck with an elongated, flared bill which filters food out of the water. Males in breeding plumage have an iridescent green head, with a white chest and rusty sides. Females are grayish-brown with an olive colored bill. Some of the female’s feathers have light brown edges with darker centers.
Northern shoveler pairs are monogamous and stay together longer than most other dabbling ducks. During mating displays, males will utter a repeated, liquid, hollow "g-dunk g-dunk g-dunk" in flight as well as from the water. Courting behavior includes various calls, turns, dips, and wing flaps. These birds breed in Canada and north-central United States. Shovelers nest in vegetation near water, and build simple nests in scrapes lined with vegetation and down. Clutches are usually 8-12 eggs.
Northern shovelers spend their winters in California, coastal Louisiana, Texas, and Mexico. These birds travel south along the Pacific or Central flyways. Their wintering habitat includes fresh and brackish coastal waters and they are now being seen all over Los Cerritos Wetlands and at the Colorado Lagoon!
Northern shoveler pairs are monogamous and stay together longer than most other dabbling ducks. During mating displays, males will utter a repeated, liquid, hollow "g-dunk g-dunk g-dunk" in flight as well as from the water. Courting behavior includes various calls, turns, dips, and wing flaps. These birds breed in Canada and north-central United States. Shovelers nest in vegetation near water, and build simple nests in scrapes lined with vegetation and down. Clutches are usually 8-12 eggs.
Northern shovelers spend their winters in California, coastal Louisiana, Texas, and Mexico. These birds travel south along the Pacific or Central flyways. Their wintering habitat includes fresh and brackish coastal waters and they are now being seen all over Los Cerritos Wetlands and at the Colorado Lagoon!
Winter Cinnamon teal pair(male-left, female-right), By Davor Desancic The Cinnamon teal (Anas cyanoptera) is a beautiful visitor we can find this time of year. The cinnamon teal is a small, brightly colored duck that can be found in waters throughout the American West. Adults have red eyes and small, light blue patches on the front of their wings which can be seen in flight. Males have distinct breeding plumage, with a bright cinnamon colored head and body. Their upper wings have the typical light blue patches surrounded by a white border. During the winter, males are rusty gray-brown, with small white areas around the bill. Females appear similar to males outside of breeding season, but the backs of their wings are brown with a little green. The male gives a thin whistled "peep" or "peer." Females have a guttural quacking.
Most cinnamon teal breed in the western United States. They form pairs before arriving at breeding grounds, and build nests in grassy areas and on islands. Females usually lay between 8-10 eggs. Females place their nests below mats of dead vegetation to conceal their eggs. In fact, she must approach her nest through tunnels in the vegetation. Cinnamon teal are seasonally monogamous, meaning they usually select new mates each year.
Cinnamon teal are early migrators in the fall, and often travel in groups with other species of ducks. Nearly all cinnamon teal winter in Mexico and Central America, but some winter with us in California and southwestern Arizona. Cinnamon teal are omnivores, and feed mostly on aquatic vegetation, aquatic insects, seeds, snails, and zooplankton.
Most cinnamon teal breed in the western United States. They form pairs before arriving at breeding grounds, and build nests in grassy areas and on islands. Females usually lay between 8-10 eggs. Females place their nests below mats of dead vegetation to conceal their eggs. In fact, she must approach her nest through tunnels in the vegetation. Cinnamon teal are seasonally monogamous, meaning they usually select new mates each year.
Cinnamon teal are early migrators in the fall, and often travel in groups with other species of ducks. Nearly all cinnamon teal winter in Mexico and Central America, but some winter with us in California and southwestern Arizona. Cinnamon teal are omnivores, and feed mostly on aquatic vegetation, aquatic insects, seeds, snails, and zooplankton.
Male Northern pintail, By Jason Crotty The Northern pintail (Anas acuta) is a large duck, named for the male’s long central tail feathers, which come to a distinct point. Males and females have blue-gray bills and grey legs and feet. The male has a chocolate head with a thin white stripe running from the back of its head to its mostly white undercarriage. Males have grey, brown, and black patterning on their backs and sides. Females have a more camouflaged plumage, similar to those of other female dabbling ducks. Hens make a coarse quack while males make a flute-like whistle. Both sexes can be identified by their slender, long necks.
This species breeds across northern areas of Eurasia and in Canada, Alaska, and the Midwestern United States. These birds are among the earliest nesters, and can be found in nesting grounds shortly after ice-out. Northern pintails build nests in scrapes in the ground and build their nests in brush or grass, lined with grass and down. Females lay clutches of 7-9 eggs, and the hen alone incubates the eggs until they hatch.
Northern pintails are also some of the first ducks to migrate south, and mainly winter south of their breeding ranges. They can be found dabbling in waters here in Long Beach. They winter in a wide variety of shallow inland freshwater and intertidal habitats. Northern pintails feed mostly in the evening and at night, and are usually seen resting in the water during the day.
Sadly, Northern pintail populations have been in decline for a number of years. Populations have declined by 69% in the past 40 years. They are currently listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, but they have also been identified as a Common Bird in Steep Decline. These birds are threatened by hunting, habitat loss, disease, and lead poisoning.
This species breeds across northern areas of Eurasia and in Canada, Alaska, and the Midwestern United States. These birds are among the earliest nesters, and can be found in nesting grounds shortly after ice-out. Northern pintails build nests in scrapes in the ground and build their nests in brush or grass, lined with grass and down. Females lay clutches of 7-9 eggs, and the hen alone incubates the eggs until they hatch.
Northern pintails are also some of the first ducks to migrate south, and mainly winter south of their breeding ranges. They can be found dabbling in waters here in Long Beach. They winter in a wide variety of shallow inland freshwater and intertidal habitats. Northern pintails feed mostly in the evening and at night, and are usually seen resting in the water during the day.
Sadly, Northern pintail populations have been in decline for a number of years. Populations have declined by 69% in the past 40 years. They are currently listed as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN, but they have also been identified as a Common Bird in Steep Decline. These birds are threatened by hunting, habitat loss, disease, and lead poisoning.
American wigeon pair, By Sindri Our final dabbling duck for December is the American Wigeon (Anas americana). You might recognize them when they fly by because their call sounds like a squeeky toy! Wigeons are medium sized ducks with short blusish-black tipped bills. Males have a white patch from their forehead to the middle of their crown and an irridescent green band from the eye to the back of the head. In flight, the white shoulder patch identifies wigeons. Females have a gray head with a brownish-black crown and brownish chest and sides. Males whistle “whee whee whew” while females vocalize with a “qua-ack.”
Male American wigeon resting, By Paul Hueber American wigeons nest farthest north out of the dabbling ducks, with the exception of the Northern pintail. They breed in shallow lakes and marshes through Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Alaska and the Northwest Territories. Courtship displays include tail-wagging, head turning, wing flapping, and sudden jumps out of the water. An unseemly courtship ritual is "the burp," in which the male emits high-pitched vocalization while stiffening his upper head feathers and his body in an erect posture. Nests are built in depressions in the ground and are lined with grasses and down. Wigeon nests are located in tall grass or shrubs, and are often far from water. Clutches range from 3 to 13 creamy white eggs.
They also reach wintering grounds very early, with Alaskan and Canadian populations migrating along the Pacific flyway. Wigeons use many habitats in winter, including ponds, lakes, and saline and brackish marshes with enough aquatic vegetation. Wigeons are mostly herbivores and graze on aquatic plants and on grasses and sedges on land. Wigeons are also known as “poachers” because they steal food from diving ducks!
American wigeons are also listed by the IUCN as species of Least Concern, however they have been identified as another Common Bird in Steep Decline. They are the fifth most hunted bird in the United States, and are also threatened by loss of habitat due to droughts and wetland conversion.
They also reach wintering grounds very early, with Alaskan and Canadian populations migrating along the Pacific flyway. Wigeons use many habitats in winter, including ponds, lakes, and saline and brackish marshes with enough aquatic vegetation. Wigeons are mostly herbivores and graze on aquatic plants and on grasses and sedges on land. Wigeons are also known as “poachers” because they steal food from diving ducks!
American wigeons are also listed by the IUCN as species of Least Concern, however they have been identified as another Common Bird in Steep Decline. They are the fifth most hunted bird in the United States, and are also threatened by loss of habitat due to droughts and wetland conversion.
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