A smaller diving duck, the Ring-necked is native to North America. Their wintering range covers much of the southern and western United States, along with much of Mexico and the Caribbean.
![male ring-necked duck male ring-necked duck](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fea7719a3-27d2-4d90-a0ad-49c88a9852bf_1280x854.jpeg)
Male ring-necked ducks can be identified by their black head and back, yellow eyes, and a gray, black-tipped bill surrounded by a white band. Females are brownish with gray highlights, including those on their heads.
![female ring-necked duck female ring-necked duck](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff08871e4-cd73-4861-beef-15a01d574b1e_1280x749.jpeg)
These ducks breed in the northern United States and across much of Canada. Ring-necked couples typically join in the spring at the beginning of the breeding season.
I just miss out on both of the Ring-necked duck’s ranges, but I will try to look out for them in the fall when they begin flying south. Perhaps a few will end up in my town.