Masked duck Nomonyx dominicus

Identification Tips:

• Small, chunky diving duck
• Long stiff-tail is often held vertically
• Dark wings with white speculum
• Immature and male eclipse similar to adult female

Adult male alternate:

• Brilliant blue bill
• Black face
• Brown neck and breast
• Brown and black body
• Black tail

Adult female:

• Dark bill
• Dark crown, eyeline, and line on cheek separated by pale lines above and below eyeline
• Grayish brown body with pale feather edging

Similar species:

The rare Masked Duck of South Florida and South Texas is most similar to the Ruddy Duck but the adult male Masked Duck in alternate plumage has a dark face. Female, immature, and eclipse-plumaged males have one more dark line on the face than the Ruddy Duck. Most other diving ducks do not have the long, stiff tail of the Masked Duck. Hooded Mergansers can sometimes hold their tails erect like Masked Ducks, but have crests and long thin bills.