Bird Walk: Ring-necked Duck

Join local birders to gather long-term data on the presence of birds, their abundance, and changes in populations. Meet in the Welcome Center parking lot. Appropriate for birders of all skill levels, the walks run along uneven terrain on forest and meadow trails and around the main house. Free. No registration required. Questions? Contact Stephanie at (802) 367-7960 or click to email .

The Ring-necked Duck is one of those birds who seem to be misnamed. Its most distinctive field mark is a white ring around the BILL, but it gets its name from a chestnut collar on the black neck which is rarely noticeable in the field. The male is a dark-colored duck with white/gray sides and belly; the female is a uniform dark brown with a distinct narrow white eye ring and bill ring. These birds gather in large mixed flocks during fall migration and are common on…