Ring-Necked Duck
Aythya collaris

Most diving ducks prefer larger water bodies with deep water, but the Ring-Necked Duck will settle on relatively small and shallow ponds during migration and on the breeding grounds. In winter, they often gather in large flocks.
Ring-Necked Ducks breed in Alaska and across central and southern Canada. In the Lower Forty-Eight states of the USA, they breed in places such as western Montana, eastern North Dakota, the Great Lakes Region and in Maine. Anywhere to the south of Colorado and Kansas and all the way into Mexico might host these ducks in winter. Their winter homes also include the Atlantic coastal zone from New England to Florida, and the Bahamas and the northern Caribbean Islands.
I think a more obvious name for the Ring-Necked Duck would be “Ring-Billed Duck”. The ring on its neck is nearly impossible to see without the bird in hand, or with luck in perfect light, whereas the ring on the bill is rather conspicuous. Until recently, all my encounters with these ducks have been on their winter grounds in southern California, Arizona, southern Nevada, and central New Mexico. Update! While touring Canada in 2022, I met a pair of these ducks in the Canadian province of Alberta.
Today, scientists regard the Ring-Necked Duck as monotypic (i.e. no subspecies).

Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: At The Zoo. Albuquerque, New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2005:02:18 16:06 |
Location:
Barelas |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 600 mm, f/8.0, 1/45 |
File Name: JCD_5035RingNeckedDuck |
© 2005 Jack Daynes, (shadetree-Imaging.com) |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: At The Zoo. Albuquerque, New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2005:02:18 15:29 |
Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 500 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD_4922RingNeckedDuck |
© 2005 Jack Daynes, (shadetree-Imaging.com) |


Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Cut-out image of a male at Hendrick's Pond, near Lake Miramar, Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California 2012-01-02. |
Date Taken: 2012:01:02 12:16 |
Location:
Scripps Ranch |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/400 |
File Name: Cut_D3X6197-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Male at Fort Lowell Park in Tucson Arizona 2016-05-28. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:25 11:03 |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: jcd1893RingNeckedDuck |
© 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Male at Fort Lowell Park in Tucson Arizona 2008-11-25. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:25 10:55 |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: jcd1839RingNeckedDuck |
© 2008 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Female at Fort Lowell Park in Tucson Arizona 2008-11-25. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:25 10:55 |
Location:
Fort Lowell |
Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/350 |
File Name: jcd1828RingNeckedDuck |
© 2008 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Winter visitor's head shot at Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:19 11:21 |
Location:
Santee Lakes |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/125 |
File Name: D3X4221-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Female at Hendrick's Pond, near Lake Miramar, Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California 2012-01-02. |
Date Taken: 2012:01:02 12:19 |
Location:
Scripps Ranch |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X6243-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Hendrick's Pond, near Lake Miramar, Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:01:02 12:19 |
Location:
Scripps Ranch |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X6231-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Female at Hendrick's Pond, near Lake Miramar, Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California 2012-01-02. |
Date Taken: 2012:01:02 12:17 |
Location:
Scripps Ranch |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/160 |
File Name: D3X6205-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Ring-necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Male at Hendrick's Pond, near Lake Miramar, Scripps Ranch, San Diego, California 2012-01-02. |
Date Taken: 2012:01:02 12:16 |
Location:
Scripps Ranch |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X6197-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Winter visitor's head shot at Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:19 11:26 |
Location:
Santee Lakes |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X4255-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Winter visitor at Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:19 11:26 |
Location:
Santee Lakes |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X4250-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: At the Albuquerque Zoo, or BioPark in New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2016:03:17 15:10 |
Location:
Barelas |
Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 400 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: D724477-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: The Botanic Gardens at Albuquerque's BioPark in New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2016:03:19 16:33 |
Location:
Old Town |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 200 mm, f/8.0, 1/250 |
File Name: D3X6856-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: The Botanic Gardens at Albuquerque's BioPark in New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2016:03:19 16:30 |
Location:
Old Town |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 200 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X6832-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:19 11:22 |
Location:
Santee Lakes |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X4226-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:19 11:21 |
Location:
Santee Lakes |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X4224-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Winter visitor at Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:19 11:19 |
Location:
Santee Lakes |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/500 |
File Name: D3X4208-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Winter visitor at Santee Lakes in Santee, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:12:19 11:15 |
Location:
Santee Lakes |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/13.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X4181-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly San Diego Wild Animal Park). Escondido, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:21 11:48 |
Location:
San Pasqual |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 |
File Name: D3X4865-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly San Diego Wild Animal Park). Escondido, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:21 8:47 |
Location:
San Pasqual |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X4567-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly San Diego Wild Animal Park). Escondido, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2013:04:21 8:46 |
Location:
San Pasqual |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X4561-RingNeckedDuck |
© 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Ring-Necked Ducks were part of the congregation of ducks taking handouts of bread from children on the dock by the library building. It was a lovely day at the Gilbert Water Ranch. The weather was mild, and the winds were calm. Gilbert is in the Greater Phoenix area of Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:11 12:40 |
Location:
Gilbert Water Ranch |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: RingNeckedDuck_D5X8998-GilbertWaterRanch |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Ring-Necked Duck(Aythya collaris) |
Description: Ring-Necked Ducks seemed to be paired up when I visited the Beaver Boardwalk in Hinton Alberta. |
Date Taken: 2022:05:26 12:12 |
Location:
Beaver Boardwalk |
Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/9.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RingNeckedDuck_8503286-Hinton.AB-BeaverBoardwalk |
© 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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