SE Colorado Birding: See the ring around the Ring-necked Duck's neck

Saturday, February 10, 2007

See the ring around the Ring-necked Duck's neck

The Ring-necked Duck actually has a ring, albeit a partial ring, around its neck that is rarely seen. It is visible in several of my photos, probably best in this pic. Birds of North America online describe it as "> . .dark chestnut collar around lower neck. . . ." The Smithsonian Handbooks Birds of North America-Western Region describes it as a cinnamon ring. It almost looks reddish or purplish (maybe cranberry would describe it) to me.

Though the duck's head gets a little blurry when it is enlarged, it still helps see the neck ring by double-clicking on the photo.

SeEtta

SeEtta

Labels: birds, Pueblo Reservoir, Ring-necked Ducks

Why bird southeast Colorado?

From our high montane areas to the riparian areas along the Arkansas River as it exits Colorado, southeast Colorado offers birding opportunities for beginners to those serious birders who seek out the less common species. We have great shortgrass and sandsage prairie birding including public areas on the Comanche National Grasslands. We have wetlands including playa lakes (playas are important shallow, depressional wetlands that provide essential habitat for waterfowl and many other bird species). We have small lakes (such as Lake Cheraw north of La Junta)and large lakes (such as John Martin Reservoir that encompasses 35 square miles) that host an impressive diversity of bird species. And we have large expanses of pinyon-juniper woodlands with their special birding opportunities.

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