Articles & Resources

Ducks, Loons, and Grebes, OH MY!
By Maria Stockmal of the New Haven Bird Club

Most people think of spring, summer, and fall as a time for bird watching but winter also offers some good bird viewing. There are many ducks that can be seen in ponds, rivers, and coastal areas. Periodically checking out the nearby pond can hold some great surprises like finding a Ring-necked Duck or Hooded Merganser where they are commonly found.

If you are looking for adventure then checking out the coastal waters can be even more exciting. Here, there are many ducks too but you will also find loons and grebes. Of the two most frequent loons to be found in Long Island Sound, one is the Common Loon. This is a large bird between 28" and 36" and is a diver. A diver means that as you see the bird swimming along, it will suddenly dive down into the water to find and eat fish. Sometimes the bird will pop out of the water a considerable distance away from where it dove. The Common Loon is generally seen in winter in CT as well as in larger numbers during migration in March and April.

To recognize the Common Loon, look for a large, heavy bird with a thick bill. The bird is dark overall with head, back of neck, and back looking black. Its throat to its breast will be white with a white notch in the neck piercing into the dark neck area. When the Common Loon swims it keeps its head and bill level. The bill is also dark.

The most common grebe to be found in coastal waters is the Horned Grebe. It is called horned because of its breeding plumage. Its yellow tufts of feathers fluff up to look as though they form horns on each side of the head. However, we see the Horned Grebe mostly in winter during which time its plumage is quite different. The Horned Grebe has a black cap to its eye, keeps its head level, has a short, straight, pointed bill, and has a white chin and semi-white neck. It's a medium-sized bird that is 12" to 15". It is also a diving bird and can sometimes resemble a loon so be careful when identifying it! The Horned Grebe, however, eats mostly aquatic invertebrates and can be found in a wider variety of habitats like lakes and scrublands.

Getting back to the duck, look for the Red-breasted Merganser since they are the most plentiful, arrive early, and stay late in the season. Its size is 20" to 26" and considered to be a medium to large sized bird. Ducks are also called waterfowl. Their habitats are marshes, lakes, rivers, flooded grasslands, and coastal estuaries. I'm sure you can find many ducks in your immediate area but bring a field guide with you to identify them.

The Red-breasted Merganser eats animal and plant foods and is also a diver. Unlike the Common Loon and Horned Grebe, the male and female of this species look different. The male has a black crested head, white collar, and its bill and feet are red. Its body is a combination of black, white, and gray. The female, in contrast, has a rusty crested head, its chin and neck are white, and the body is overall gray with a prominent white patch. Both male and female have thin bills.

The best places to see these birds in and around New Canaan include Cove Island Park in Stamford, Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, and Sherwood Island State Park in Westport as well as other areas up north. The areas mentioned all support birding and wildlife observations. Since viewing will be in coastal areas and birds may be a distance away, I would recommend observing the birds around high tide so they'll be closer and to use 10 power binoculars or a bird spotting scope with lower power binoculars. Maybe your local nature center can provide these or offer a field trip. Happy duck hunting! Please excuse the pun.

Click here to learn more about the danger in feeding ducks.