LOL, I killed myself with that title. A play on words within a play on words is certainly at least a double word score! Ok, enough foolishness. These ducks are require your attention.

These are the last few ducks of the spring that I took at the northern Duck Pond on Tierra Verde island near St. Petersburg, Fl. As usual, there is a map near the end of this post that will help you find the location.

These are Ring-necked Ducks and Lesser Scaups and they are very similar in appearance.

  • Ring-necked Ducks have a white outline on the bill and the back of the duck is almost a solid black. The females look even more alike. The female Ring-necked has a white ring around it eye.
  • The Lesser Scaup has a mostly grey bill with a black tip and more of a salt and pepper back.
  • There is also a Greater Scaup which is essentially a bigger version and difficult to distinguish unless they are together. The Lesser does have a small crest at the back of its head that can help tell the difference.

You can see all of my duck photography as well as order prints…HERE.

Enjoy the ducks, I hope you can now see the difference!

Here is the map of the area that the pictures were taken.

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