bootleg and white duck breeds are renowned for their scratch plumage , coalesce contrast colors in various pattern . These ducks , like the Magpie , Ancona , and Swedish Blue , display a dominant premix of dark and white feathers across their body . Each breed has its own unique characteristics : the Magpie with its black crest and typical markings ; the Ancona with spread out black dots on a whitened background ; and the Swedish Blue , known for its grayish - low hue amidst dark and white tones .
Keep reading to read more about various smuggled and whiteduck breeds , as well as their characteristics and identification methods .
Different Black and White Duck Breeds
Lesser Scaup
The Lesser Scaup ( Aythya affinis ) , often call the Little Bluebill , is recognized for its blue beak in both males and females . male person exhibitblack and whiteplumage with green iridescence on the back of their head during the breeding season . Their underbody are bright lily-white . female , preponderantly black and promising brown , also have downcast beaks but with black patterns at the front . Unlike male person ’ bright yellow eyes , females have brown iris year - round .
Common Eider
The Common Eider ( Somateria mollissima ) , the bombastic type of eider , displays typical black - and - white plumage . Males in eclipse plumage are mostlyblack with whitepatterns and a bright gamy hooter . Non - eclipse plumage feature white with disgraceful patterns , a gray - blue schnozzle , and a black crown . Females are predominantly gray and black , appear almost entirely disconsolate . They have a greyish - brownish nozzle , a inglorious tail , and morose chocolate-brown legs . Females are bonk for describe their nest with their down feather for added thermal protection for eggs .
Long-Tailed Duck
The Long - tail Duck ( Clangula hyemalis ) is tell apart by its black , point tail and notable differences between male and female . male person have a blank top , gray case , and black back of the head , with a mostly white neck opening and underbelly . Their annex display black and white patterns , and they featureblack and orangebeaks with reddish - brown eyes during breeding . Females are principally brown , with awhite headand dark brown nicety . Ducklings resemble female but have a distinct bright neckband .
Barrow’s Goldeneye
Barrow ’s Goldeneye ( Bucephala islandica ) are black and white seaducks known for the golden - icteric irises of Male . Found primarily in Northwestern North America , they reside class - one shot or migrate brusk distance along the West Coast from Alaska to the United States . male feature a mostly black head with white cheek , a black bill , and a white cervix , underbelly , and wing with black sections on the back and ass . female person are brownish and off - white , while male develop a greenish iridescent caput during training . They feed on mussels and other aquatic quarry .
Bufflehead
The Bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ) is among North America ’s smaller duck , appraise up to 14 inches . Males display black and blanched blueprint with iridescent jet and purple on their head word , complement by short gray beaks . female have darker beak and mostly black head with clean side stripes , alongside gray and black undersides . Buffleheads , found across the continent during migration , inhabit regions from Alaska to California and extend eastward to the East Coast .
Common Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye ducks ( Bucephala genus Clangula ) are slightly large than Buffleheads and exhibit green iridescence on their heads , especially during breeding time of year . male romp preponderantly black and white plumage with iridescent green head , yellow eyes , and little black beaks . female have brown heads , yellow eyes , and gray undersides , with white temporary hookup on their wings and benighted brown discussion section on their bodies . Two subspecies exist : one predominant in North America and the other in Eurasia , each with fragile variations in plumage .
Common Shelduck
Common Shelducks ( Tadorna tadorna ) exhibit distinctive shameful , white , red , and dark-brown coloring . Breeding males boast unripened iridescence on the backstage ’ intimate low-toned part , unlike on the head . Their heads are mostly dim , with fateful and bloodless flank and a white underside . Males sport a vividred honker , while female have a pale pink - red one . Females have chocolate-brown heads and large white section on the chest , underbelly , and wings . Ducklings of this European mintage are entirely opprobrious and white .
Comb Duck
Comb Ducks ( Sarkidiornis sylvicola ) are notable for their telling size and collide with bootleg and white colouration . Males and female share standardized feature , including a turgid black knob on the male ’s honker , which is a prominent attractor trait . Males display green iridescence on their wings during courtship . They have mostly white heads with black spot , whitened breast , and black wings and backs . female person resemble males but have darker chocolate-brown wings or else of bleak . Their headway are white with black spots , and their underbody are gray - brownish .
Steller’s Eider
Steller ’s Eiders ( Polysticta stelleri ) are distinguished by their black and lily-white marking and inhabit remote tundra regions . Males expose a white head with unique black patterns around the eyes and a crest at the back . They feature contraband hooter , neck , offstage , and tail end , with red - chocolate-brown underbelly . Females are less colored , with sullen brown and smutty plume . Variations in coloration occur seasonally and geographically across East and West Russia and Alaska . They are adept loon and gather in large numbers pool along Arctic shores for alimentation and molting .
Magpie Duck
Magpie Ducks are distinctive for their sinister and white plumage , resemble the Common Magpie . Bred in Europe for their striking appearance , they feature a mostly snowy body with a black crest , wings , and butt . Their orange beak and legs provide a colorful contrast . Some edition also include disconsolate and smutty hues . Originally breed for meat and bollock , they are now primarily bred for expo due to declining number in the United Kingdom and Europe .
Ancona Duck
Ancona Ducks are know for their classifiable black and snowy plumage , with an almost amply ashen head invest with random black dot or situation . Their neck and underside are white , while their wings feature predominantly disgraceful plumage with white patch on the inner wings . They may have either an orangish or yellow beak , often with additional black patterning on the chest for those with yellow snout . Ancona Ducks are prized for their prolific egg - laying capability , producing eggs that vagabond in colour from cream to blue or gray-haired .
Swedish Blue
The Swedish Blue Duck is know for its three color patterns , including a black and white variant . These ducks predominantly boast black plumage with a distinctive white neck opening spot and gray undertones . Some individuals also exhibit blue hue , while others are mostly white . Swedish Blues are valued for their temperament , meat , and ball , though breeding true blue ducks can be challenging . They are remark for their friendly nature , making them suited for family preferences , despite their casual shyness .
Hook Bill
The Hook Bill duck’s egg , characterized by its prospicient gray eyeshade , fleeceable head , and disappearing front in Europe , is predominantly black , gray , and bloodless . Males feature distinctive inglorious offstage , a white dresser and neck , and gray underbelly . Despite its historical documentation and eggs - lay artistry of over 100 orchis per twelvemonth , the Hook Bill remain comparatively unpopular among domestic duck strain . Its stemma stay uncertain , contributing to its puzzling status in aviculture .
Muscovy Duck
Muscovy Duck drakes ( genus Cairina moschata ) exhibit black and lily-white colour , with variant across their range in the Americas . Some are altogether black with blanched wing patches , while others lark a mostly white head with black markings . Their wing and underside are typically black , and during facts of life time of year , drakes may exhibit a greenish sheen on their wing . The distinctive ruby facial hide contrasts with their overall dark plumage . Female Muscovy Ducks lay a pocket-size telephone number of cream - colour orchis yearly .
Smew
Male Smews ( Mergellus albellus ) are predominantly bloodless with contrast black patterns , include circles around their eyes , black upper spinal column , and tenuous stripes at the nucleotide of their wings . They have distinctive black honker , similar to females . female person exhibit red - brown head with gray and white feather on their undersides and wings . During breeding , female develop mordant cheeks , while males may show grey wings . Smews migrate between Europe and Northern Asia , breed across a wide territory extending to Japan , make them among the former duck species known .
King Eider
Male King Eiders ( Somateria spectabilis ) are tell apart by their unique , elongated heads decorate with lily-white , gray , black , and yellow colors , and a bright violent schnozzle . They sport vibrant black and lily-white plumage on their wings and bodies . Females are preponderantly brown with a gray beak and put down white or cream - colour egg in the summer . These ducks breed in Arctic tundra and live the coastlines of Northern Europe , Asia , and Canada . know for their varied calls resemble dove , males and females can live on up to virtually two decades .
Radjah Shelduck
The Radjah Shelduck ( Radjah radjah ) , establish around Australia and periodically up to Indonesia , is characterized by its black and white plumage . They have white heads , neck , and underbellies , contrast by black back , wing , and can . Their beaks are bright pick - colored , with similarly bright irises . female contribution awhite and pinkbeak . These duck’s egg feed on aquatic plants , weeds , louse , and worms . They inhabit coastlines and are easily spot due to their striking coloration and habitat preferences .
Greater Scaup
The Greater Scaup ( Aythya marila ) , a large diving event duck , is recognized for its black and clean plumage and deep - diving capabilities . They feed on mollusks , seeds , and other food , adapting to winter scarcity . These duck grow up to 22 inches in size , expose black heads with green iridescence during training . Their neck opening are blackened , their wings can be livid or black , and they sport a burnished gamy schnozzle and gray - dim tail . Greater Scaups expand in cool climates , admit around the Arctic Circle , nesting among dense vegetation .
Surf Scoter
Surf Scoters ( Melanitta perspicillata ) are preponderantly black duck with renowned snowy marking on their expression , backs of their heads , and the stand of their orange tree beaks . male feature black neck , wings , and undersides , while females are brown and smuggled with calamitous beaks . Found mainly in northern Canada , they transmigrate along the East and West Coasts of North America . Surf Scoters take form duo during migration , refund annually to the same breeding sites where they meticulously plan their departure dates based on migration distances .
Spectacled Eider
Spectacled Eiders ( Somateria fischeri ) are named for the distinctive white round patches around their mostly hoar - green eyes , bordered by black security deposit . Male Spectacled Eiders sport promising orange neb and exhibit bleak wings , underbelly , and white-hot groundwork on their wing and upper backs . Females also have benighted brown heads with bright dark-brown spectacles and blue brown bodies with hunky-dory black tune . recover primarily in the Bering Sea region , these duck work up soil nest and lay green eggs .
White-Headed Duck
The White - head Duck ( Oxyura leucocephala ) stands out among shameful and white - headed duck’s egg for its predominantly white pass adorned with pitch-dark stripes . Male ducks feature a distinctive black crest - like circle and a blue government note . female have smaller white-hot bandage on their drumhead with gray - black bands and stripes . Both sexes display brown feather . part migratory , these duck move from Southeastern Europe to Central Asia and occasionally roll to India and Alaska . They surpass at swim and feed on various submersed plants in freshwater and sea environment .
Velvet Scoter
Velvet Scoters ( Melanitta fusca ) are preponderantly disastrous ducks with male heads adorned by tenuous white oculus rophy and bright yellow - Orange River snoot . They expose white extension stripes amidst their black plumage . Females lack the heart circles and have black beaks , with bright brown region near the beak . Both sexes demo white flank stripe . get in Europe and Asia , Velvet Scoters are partly migratory , with Western Europe and East Asia marking their habitat limits . They winter in regions around the Black Sea and Caspian Sea .
Stejneger’s Scoter
Stejneger ’s Scoter ( Melanitta stejnegeri ) , also known as the Siberian Duck , is preponderantly black with small white grading around the eyes and on the wings . It features an orange beak amidst its glum plumage covering the head , neck opening , wings , and underbelly . Found chiefly in northerly Asia , it now and then appears in northerly North America , particularly Alaska , and central Asia , extending to China . These seaducks are adaptable , thriving in both fresh water and brine habitats , with much of their life story still being researched since their late classification as a distinct species .
Common Merganser
The Common Merganser ( Mergus merganser ) is pick out by its striking black and ashen color combination . male march a ignominious head , neck opening , and upper back , contrasting with a lily-white belly and wings . This seaduck coinage is widespread across North America , Europe , and Asia , often impress between lake seasonally . Females are more colorful than males , showcasing gray and red - chocolate-brown tone and a particularly vivacious mind during the breeding season .
Ring-Necked Duck
The Ring - make out Duck ( Aythya collaris ) inhabits freshwaters across North America , migrating from Canada to Central America . Males feature a contraband head , neck , upper back , and chest , with whitened bellies and wings . A narrow cinnamon - brown tintinnabulation on the neck often distinguishes them , though it ’s subtle . Females are primarily gray and bootleg without the maroon neckbands . Young ducks favor insects , while adult plunk for plants .
Hooded Merganser
The Hooded Merganser ( Lophodytes cucullatus ) inhabits North America ’s West and East Coasts . This coinage is less migratory equate to other North American duck . Male are characterized by smuggled and white plumage with brown section on the paunch . They have a black caput , a thin sharp beak , and snowy patches on the position of their caput . Females feature a distinctively improbable tip . Hooded Mergansers are specialized submersed feeders , use up aquatic plants and small fish .
Tufted Duck
Tufted Ducks ( Aythya fuligula ) parade three main color patterns : male person , females , and duckling . Male are mostly black and bloodless , with a black principal and a distinguishable crest , vivid xanthous eye , and a white underbelly . Females are chestnut tree - brown , deal the eye and beak color with males . Juveniles are grizzly - browned , resembling female . These nocturnal feeders rest during the sidereal day in calm coastal areas and pond .
Red-Breasted Merganser
The Red - breasted Merganser ( Mergus serrator ) is well agnize by its tufted head . male feature a black head , black tip , and crimson eye during the breeding time of year , with gray , white , and disastrous body feather . Females have gray - brown heads and dark-brown flag , along with a crest . Notably , these ducks can vaporize at swiftness up to 100 miles per hour , help their extensive migrations . Over 10,000 crimson - breasted Mergansers winter in the UK alone .
Scaly-Sided Merganser
The Scaly - sided Merganser ( Mergus squamatus ) is distinguished by its blackened upperparts , including the school principal and back of the neck , contrasted with a white underside and chickenhearted transition on the sides . Males boast a prospicient , thin brown neb and a black crest at the back of the straits . female have a brown pass with black eye spot , a long red - brownish beak , and gray and white-hot plumage . Found in rivers , females miss the calamitous annex and back marking of males , appearing gray rather than ignominious and white while swimming .
White-Winged Duck
The White - winged Duck ( Asarcornis scutulata ) , found preponderantly in Southeast Asia extending to Indonesia , is distinctive among pitch-dark and white ducks . Both males and female have preponderantly white heads , with males feature pale gray spot and dark brown beaks complement by crimson irises . They exhibit dark brown and blackened plumage . Females resemble males but have larger gray spots on their head , orange - brown optic , and matching beaks . Their torso and wings are brown , with additional black and white markings . Females are also smaller than males .
Canvasback
The Canvasback ( Aythya valisineria ) , one of North America ’s largest ducks , reaching up to 22 in , displays typical brown , black , and clean plume in male person . Males sport a brown and dim nous with a black upper back , grey wings with whitened al-Qa’ida , and ignominious peak . Females sport varied shade of brown , with only the lower neck opening showing brownish - bleak colouring . Once democratic on North American computer menu , Canvasbacks now breed in protected areas to safeguard their populations , though they are not fully protected everywhere today .
Harlequin Duck
The Harlequin Duck ( Histrionicus histrionicus ) is have a go at it for its vibrant , multicolored appearance . Males exhibit a striking compounding of gray , black , blanched , andred on their head , including a black peak with white and gray margins . Their pectus feature gray with black and livid chevron , and their wing sport red and ruddy - dark-brown sections . Females are predominantly brown with small-scale black and clean head marking . They often form unchanging gentility duet that can last over two year , a behaviour less common among ducks .
Knob-Billed Duck
boss - billed Ducks ( Sarkidiornis melanotos ) feature distinctive black - and - white plumage , with male person sporting a large boss - like formation atop their sinister beaks . They have black heads and neck adorned with black spots , complemented by black offstage , and a grey-haired underside . Females resemble males but lack the knob on their beaks , sporting white psyche and black wing . rarefied variations let in white and brown somebody in Africa . During breeding time of year , males may demo green opalescence on their black feather , while both sex activity display dark or violet opalescence on their wings and tails in South Africa .
