The contrast of black and white plumage makes several duck species highly visible and popular targets for bird enthusiasts across North America. This coloration, particularly prominent on the male ducks, or drakes, serves as visual communication and display during the breeding season. The black and white pattern is common among the diving ducks, which spend much of their time foraging underwater for aquatic invertebrates and fish. Understanding the specific arrangement of these colors, along with the size and shape of the bird, is the foundation for accurate identification.
The Small and Striking Bufflehead
The Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) is the smallest North American diving duck, a compact bird with a disproportionately large, rounded head that gives the species its name. The male’s head is primarily black, but it features a massive, triangular white patch that sweeps from behind the eye to the back of the head. Although the black plumage appears solid, closer observation reveals iridescent tones of green and purple that shift in the sunlight.
The rest of the male’s body is marked with a clean white chest and sides contrasting sharply with a black back and rump. Buffleheads breed near lakes in the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska, relying on tree cavities, often those excavated by Northern Flickers, for nesting. During the non-breeding season, these ducks are widespread across North America, favoring sheltered coastal bays, estuaries, and inland lakes where they dive to hunt for mollusks and crustaceans.
Identifying Goldeneyes and Mergansers
The Goldeneyes and the Hooded Merganser are medium-sized diving ducks that share the black and white theme, but each species possesses a unique field mark on the head.
Common Goldeneye
The male Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) has a glossy, dark green head and a round, bright white spot located between its golden eye and the base of its bill. Its body is mostly white with a black back, giving it a brighter appearance than its close relative. Common Goldeneyes prefer large bodies of water, and they are often found in rivers or bays that remain unfrozen during the winter.
Barrow’s Goldeneye
The male Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) is distinguished by a crescent-shaped white patch in the same location on the face, rather than the round spot of the Common Goldeneye. The Barrow’s Goldeneye also shows more black on its sides and upperparts, including a black spur near the breast, making it appear darker overall. Both Goldeneye species are known for the whistling sound their wings make in flight.
Hooded Merganser
The male Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) features a prominent, fan-shaped crest that can be raised or lowered. The crest is black with a large white patch in the center, which becomes visible when fully erect. This duck has a black back, white breast, and chestnut-colored flanks. Hooded Mergansers are found on small, forested wetlands and rivers, where their slender, serrated bills are adapted for catching small fish and crayfish.
Coastal Dwellers and Sea Ducks
The Long-tailed Duck and the Scoters represent species that are specialized for marine life.
Long-tailed Duck
The Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) exhibits variable plumage, undergoing multiple molts annually. In its winter plumage, which is the most commonly observed phase, the male is black and white, featuring a white head with a gray cheek patch and a black breast and back. The male also possesses long, slender black central tail feathers, which make this sea duck easily identifiable. Long-tailed Ducks spend their non-breeding season on coastal ocean waters and the Great Lakes, where they are exceptional divers, capable of foraging at depths exceeding 200 feet.
Scoters
Scoters (Melanitta species) are large, bulky sea ducks that are predominantly dark but often feature white facial or wing patches. The male Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) is jet black, but it has two white patches: one on the nape and one on the forehead. The male White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca) is mostly black, but has a small white patch around the eye and a white patch on the wing, visible even when the wings are folded. Scoters spend most of the year in marine environments, congregating in large rafts on coastal bays and estuaries.
Tips for Identification and Observation
Successfully distinguishing between these black and white ducks relies on focusing on comparative differences beyond the general color scheme. Size is a useful factor, as the Bufflehead is notably smaller than the Goldeneyes, which are in turn generally smaller than the bulky Scoters. The shape and location of the white markings on the head are the most reliable initial clues for the Bucephala genus. Observers should specifically look for the Bufflehead’s large rear head patch, the Common Goldeneye’s round spot, or the Barrow’s Goldeneye’s crescent shape.
Bill shape offers another quick method of differentiation, contrasting the short, stout bill of the Bufflehead with the thin, serrated bill of the Hooded Merganser. When viewing ducks on the water, note their behavior, as all these species are diving ducks that actively submerge to feed. Using binoculars or a spotting scope is recommended for picking out these details, especially when the birds are far from shore in their preferred open water habitats. Observing the birds’ silhouettes, wingbeats, and how they ride the water can also help solidify an identification when plumage details are obscured.