Scientific Name: Anas rubripes

Black Duck in flight Maslowski Photo, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Image Source

The American Black Duck is a large dabbling duck that looks very similar to a female Mallard. They are mostly brown with a purple-blue wing patch. They have reddish legs and olive to yellow bills.

Black Ducks like to eat aquatic plants, grasses, seeds, grains, insects, mollusks, crustaceans, and fish.

Black Ducks like to live in wetlands, ranging from beaver ponds to salt marshes. They are partially migratory and can be found in the east-central United States in the winter, especially coastal areas. Some Black Ducks can be found in the Great Lakes region year round.

Black Ducks and Mallards are similar. After captive-raised Mallards were released into the Black Duck’s range, the Mallards have taken over some of the breeding spots of the Black Duck. The two species have been known to hybridize on occasion.

Additional Images:

Black Duck swimming Nieminen, Gene, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Image Source

Additional Links

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_Black_Duck/id
http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-id/american-black-duck
http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/bird/american_black_duck
http://eol.org/pages/914551/overview

References

Same as the above links.