# Ring-necked Duck (*Aythya collaris*) The Ring-necked Duck is a beautiful bird with a striking ring around its neck. It loves to swim in ponds and lakes, diving underwater to find tasty plants and small fish. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Ring-necked Duck](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Ring-necked_Duck_%28f%29_%2826058476660%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ring-necked_Duck_%28f%29_%2826058476660%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Ring-necked Duck has a distinct black back and crisp white sides. Males feature a glossy purple-black head and a black bill with two striking white rings, making them easy to spot. Females are plainer brown with a gray bill. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Aythya ## Interesting facts - Females lay up to a dozen olive-colored eggs in a hidden nest. - These fast flyers can reach speeds over 70 kilometers per hour! - They are called 'diving ducks' because they plunge completely underwater! - This duck's subtle neck ring is often hidden by its head feathers! ## Special abilities - **Subaquatic Hunter:** Ring-necked Ducks can dive up to 40 feet underwater because strong legs propel them to find hidden food like seeds and insects. - **Weed Washer:** Ring-necked Ducks have a specialized bill that helps them filter tiny seeds and plant parts from mucky pond bottoms. - **Migratory Mariner:** Ring-necked Ducks can fly thousands of kilometers each year because they have powerful wings built for long-distance travel. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 39-46 cm - **Wingspan:** 61-76 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-1 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 72 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 8-10 - **Incubation:** 25-29 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding These ducks primarily eat plants, seeds, and aquatic insects found underwater. - **Primary Foods:** aquatic plant seeds, water lilies, pondweeds, caddisfly larvae, snails, small fish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Adults can be preyed upon by these large raptors. - **Eats:** [Snapping Turtle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/snapping-turtle) (*Chelydra serpentina*) — Eats ducklings and eggs from nests in wetland areas. - **Eats:** [Hydrilla](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hydrilla) (*Hydrilla verticillata*) — They feed heavily on its tubers and seeds. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch ducks from a distance and don't feed them bread. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ring-necked Duck? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Ring-necked Duck? 39-46 cm ### What is Ring-necked Duck's wingspan? 61-76 cm ### How much does Ring-necked Duck weigh? 0.5-1 kg ### How long does Ring-necked Duck live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Ring-necked Duck move? 72 km/h ### What does Ring-necked Duck eat? These ducks primarily eat plants, seeds, and aquatic insects found underwater. ### Where is Ring-necked Duck usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Gary City Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gary-city-center-historic-district) — Indiana, US · Historic District - [McClellan Creek National Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mcclellan-creek-national-grassland) — Texas, US · National Park - [Pointe Mouillee State Game Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pointe-mouillee-state-game-area) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Rattlesnake Springs Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rattlesnake-springs-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Abram S. Hewitt State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abram-s-hewitt-state-forest) — New Jersey, US · Forest - [Alaska Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alaska-botanical-garden) — Alaska, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Ring-necked Duck](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ring-necked-duck) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Ring-necked Duck: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ring-necked-duck)