Fauna Flora Photography

American Black Duck Anas rubripes

Aves > Anseriformes > Anatidae

This species is a large dabbling duck somehow resembling the female Mallard in coloration but has a darker plumage. Male and female are similar in appearance. It is an endemic species of North-America, usually found in coastal marshlands and freshwaters.

The similarity with Mallard makes it difficult to identify this species. A distinctive mark is the lack of a white line between the wing’s blue posterior part and the brown anterior part. It is also less common than Mallard around Montreal.

The only time I was sure about the identification of this species was with the couple I observed in a pond in the National Park Mont Saint Bruno.