{"id":371453,"date":"2025-12-26T15:56:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T15:56:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/371453\/"},"modified":"2025-12-26T15:56:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T15:56:10","slug":"how-to-spot-michigans-weird-and-wonderful-winter-ducks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/371453\/","title":{"rendered":"How to spot Michigan\u2019s weird and wonderful winter ducks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cold, snowy weather isn\u2019t the only thing headed for Michigan this winter. Dozens of species of \u201cweird and wonderful\u201d ducks are also coming to the state.<\/p>\n

Michigan\u2019s waterways will be filled with a fascinating cast of characters. As colder temperatures and icy winds freeze Arctic or boreal waters, ducks make their way south to the relative warmth of the Great Lakes state, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Michigan is a winter haven for more than 30 duck species.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Snowy owls migrate in booms and busts. This winter could be a boom<\/a><\/p>\n

These species feature unique beauty, like the northern pintail<\/a> with its three-piece-suit plumage; delightful adaptations and behaviors, like surf scoters<\/a> that dive into cresting waves; and awe-inspiring gatherings, including thousands of redhead ducks<\/a> that float on open water.<\/p>\n

Here are five of the \u201cweird ducks\u201d and other waterfowl we might spot this time of year, and how to successfully ID them:<\/p>\n

\"FlockA flock of redhead ducks by Ryan Dziedzic.<\/p>\n

Redheads: Look for the telltale cinnamon-hued heads on the males of this species; the females will be close by, with medium-brown coloring on their bodies. In the winter these sociable ducks can sometimes be seen gathering in massive flocks on open water, where their numbers can reach well into the thousands.<\/a><\/p>\n

RELATED: Christmas Count: World\u2019s longest-running bird census is happening now<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Gadwall\"The gadwall, a dabbling duck, can be found in southern Michigan marshes, lakes and river mouths. Photo: Chris Rusnak\/AudubonChris A. Rusnak<\/p>\n

Gadwalls: From afar these birds might not look like much, but if you\u2019re able to see them through binoculars or a spotting scope, you can appreciate the males\u2019 subtle yet intricate shades and patterns. ID the males by looking for a black rump, white wing patch and dark bill; the females will look similar to female Mallards.<\/p>\n

\"GuidedTwo Tundra swans fly above the Ferguson Bayou Trail at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge in Saginaw on Saturday, April 13, 2024. This guided nature hike was a collaboration event between Saginaw Art Museum, Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge, and Friends of Shiawassee. Julian Leshay Guadalupe | MLive.com<\/p>\n

Tundra Swans: Nicknamed \u201cwhistling swans\u201d for the distinct whistle sound made by their wings, these beautiful water birds might be spotted flying far overhead in large family groups of up to 100 birds. Identify Tundra Swans from other swans by the \u201cU\u201d shape where their black bill meets their face; sometimes a small yellow patch is also visible near the eye.<\/p>\n

\"LakeBuffleheads take flight at Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon, Mich. on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The lakeshore had several days in a row with wind chills in the negative teens.Joel Bissell | MLive.com<\/p>\n

Buffleheads: Zippy little birds, with an emphasis on \u201clittle\u201d \u2014 these are among the smallest ducks in Michigan. From a distance the males appear black and white, but if you look closely you\u2019ll see a patch of mesmerizing iridescent green and purple. This time of year you can find Buffleheads in pairs or small groups on sheltered bodies of water like bays, lakes, ponds, estuaries and slow-moving rivers.<\/p>\n

\"SnowSnow geese on Cayuga Lake viewed from Lower Lake Road near Cayuga Lake State Park Wednesday, March 17, 2021. Photo by Mike Greenlar<\/p>\n

Snow Geese: These birds are not as common in Michigan as they are in Illinois and Indiana, so winter sightings can feel special. Look for Snow Geese in open fields or shallow waters, paying close attention since these birds come in two different color \u201cmorphs,\u201d or patterns: The white morph has a white head and body with black wing tips, while the blue morph has a dark body and white head. Both have pink bills with a dark line.<\/p>\n

Find more winter birding opportunities here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Cold, snowy weather isn\u2019t the only thing headed for Michigan this winter. Dozens of species of \u201cweird and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":371454,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[79,201],"class_list":{"0":"post-371453","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-science","9":"tag-wildlife"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=371453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371453\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/371454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=371453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=371453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=371453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}