Redheaded Duck

A couple of years ago I got many blurry shots of the Redheaded Duck at a distance.  I am gratified to say that  I finally saw this duck again, when I was exploring some ponds that I had heard about last fall.

redheaded duck

Male and Female

beautiful male

Mated pair-redheaded ducks

The bright red head of the male stands out even at a distance, however this duck is shy of the attentions of humans.  As a consequence I had to move carefully in order not to startle this pair into flight.  Fortunately for me, this pond, although large, has a sort of bottle neck at one end, which is where I  managed to capture them on camera.

This beautiful duck makes it's home in northern prairie marshes and potholes.  Unfortunately, because of loss of habitat, the Redheaded duck is declining in number, which is likely why I don't see them often.

Enjoy,
Guni