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The American black duck (Anas rubripes) is a large dabbling duck in the family Anatidae.It was described by William Brewster in 1902. It is the heaviest species in the genus Anas, weighing 720–1,640 g (1.59–3.62 lb) on average and measuring 54–59 cm (21–23 in) in length with an 88–95 cm (35–37 in) wingspan.
The extensive white in the wings is obvious in flight, less so on the ground; it is formed by the secondary remiges while the primaries are black; the wing coverts are brown. Males and females look alike; juveniles are similar but have a gray bill and less contrasting belly. The wing bar is unique among whistling ducks.
Male torrent ducks have a striking black and white head and neck pattern and a red bill. In-flight, they show dark wings with green speculum. Females of all subspecies are smaller than the drakes; they have orange underparts and throat, with the head and upperparts grey and a yellower bill. Juveniles are pale grey above and whitish below.
Both sexes have the same plumage, and all have a hunched appearance and black underwings in flight. [citation needed] After breeding and pairing with a female, male whistling ducks (especially within the Fulvous whistling duck species) will often help with the construction of nests and will take turns with the female incubating the eggs.
The black and the white-winged scoters are physically very similar to the surf scoter but in flight, the surf scoter is the only one with completely dark wings. [12] Like all sea ducks, the surf scoter becomes flightless during the simultaneous molt of its flight feathers. This vulnerable period happens usually in late July through early August ...
The species' common name comes from the sky-blue wing coverts. Crested duck and bronze-winged duck: Iridescent purple-bronze, edged white. [3] Pacific black duck: Iridescent green, edged light buff. [3] Mallard: Iridescent purple-blue with white edges. [1] American black duck: Iridescent violet bordered in black and may have a thin white ...
The rump, flight feathers, tail-coverts and tail feathers are black and there are iridescent green speculum feathers on the inner surfaces of the wings. Both upper and lower wing-coverts are white, this feature being particularly noticeable in flight but hardly visible when the bird is at rest. The bill is black and the legs are dark grey.
Averaging 35.5 cm (14.0 in) and 370 g (13 oz), it rivals the green-winged teal as the smallest American duck. The bufflehead has a wingspan of 21.6 in (55 cm). [7] Adult males are striking black and white, with iridescent green and purple heads and a large white patch behind the eye.