[at-l] A question about birds in CT on a river

[bennettk at wfu.edu (ken bennett)]

On 3/12/05 9:01 PM, "Felix" <AThiker@smithville.net> wrote:

> Hey...what kind of bird did I see on the Hoosatonic in CT in December?
> It was duck-like, rust-headed, paired and would occasionally dive and
> stay down for long periods of time. Anybody know?



1. Gray body? Long thin bill? Female merganser (either common or
red-breasted, hard to tell with females).

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Red-breasted_M
erganser_dtl.html

(The female merganser picture sucks -- it looks totally different in the
water. Get a good field guide.)

2. Gray and black body, red head -- a red headed duck:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Redhead.html

3. Whitish body, sort of a red head -- a Canvasback (rare):

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Canvasback.htm
l

That's about it without having more info.

Ken