río embudo birds

Identification Practice for the
Dixon Christmas Bird Count

Species observed in 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9-8 7-6-5 4-3-2 1 out of 16 years of the count.

This Learning-Feature was developed for the 2013 CBC season. As we prepare for the 2019 season, we now have 22 years of data. (See Updated Compilation)
This feature stresses the most commonly occuring species, so there is little change in the relative frequencies of those species.
A good preparation for the 2019 count is still provided.
An update of this feature will take place at a later date.


Winter Ducks

Winter Sparrows

The table above shows all of the counts for ducks for 15 years of the Dixon CBC.

The "Individuals" column at the right shows that there were 4,198 ducks counted in 15 years.

The next column shows the percentage of that total represented by each species. More than 95% of all ducks were accounted for by 3 species.

The Mallard is known to most people, so mastering 95% of the ducks requires study of just two species: Common Goldeneye and Common Merganser.

The Wood Duck, at 2.26%, is very distinctive in both male and female plumage.

The Green-winged Teal, at 1.17%, is distinctive in the male plumage.


English Name:
Genus species:
CommentsPhotos
Ducks in Winter
These three species account for 95.52% of all Ducks counted.
Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula


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External Sites:
Cornell
USGS
Image Search
Females (upper) have brown heads.



Male (below) has dark head with distinctive white patch between the bill and the eye.

Both have yellow eye.

Orilla Verde

Orilla Verde

Orilla Verde Enlarge

Rinconada
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos


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External Sites:
Cornell
USGS
Image Search
Note white horizontal mark at rear on both Female (above)

and

Male (below).

Male plumage distinctive.

Rinconada

Rinconada
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser


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External Sites:
Cornell
USGS
Image Search
Distinctive bill shape and color.

Male has dark head.

Female reddish-brown head.

These two species give you another 3.43%.
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa


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External Sites:
Cornell
USGS
Image Search
Male (top right): Coloration and white neck markings distinctive.



Female (middle): White Eye-patch distinctive.



Male (bottom front) in eclipse (non-breeding) plumage.


Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca


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External Sites:
Cornell
USGS
Image Search

Rio Grande: Orilla Verde State Park

Photo: David Menke USFWS California
The other 1.05%.
American WigeonAnas americanaUncommon Winter Visitors
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatusUncommon Winter Visitors
BuffleheadBucephala albeolaRare Winter Visitors
GadwallAnas streperaRare Winter Visitors
Northern PintailAnas acutaRare Winter Visitors
Barrow's GoldeneyeBucephala islandicaRare Winter Visitors

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