# Small Duck I.D.



## Peter D (Feb 5, 2013)

For the past two weeks I've seen a solitary duck milling around with a pair of Canadians and today with a small group of mallards.

This duck is very small, half the size of the mallards in both length, height and girth.

It is mostly dark and drab in color.  It stayed a good 300+ yards away from where I was and through my binoculars it was still difficult to notice a lot of detail.

It had a darker grayish/brownish colored back and top of head but with tan colored cheeks and sides and with a white rump (not the tail, but the actual cul-de-canard).  This wa visible when it was turned away from me.

What would be the white oval areas around a wood duck hen's eyes, were very dark on this bird, set against the tan of the cheeks.

  The beak must have been very small, short and dark because I couldn't see it well enough through the binoculars to give a description.  The mallards beaks at the same distance were easily visible in terms of length and color.  I could see when it would scratch itself that it also had black feet.  

This bird did a lot of quick head turning, looking around a lot and did lots of diving.  

Any ideas?


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## Steven Farr (Feb 5, 2013)

Probably a grebe.  He better be careful cause Canadians love grebe meat


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## andyparm (Feb 5, 2013)

Didapper


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## TailCrackin (Feb 5, 2013)

grebe would be my guess as well


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## Peter D (Feb 5, 2013)

Yes I believe you fellas are correct.  

I just googled 'grebe' and this photo is a very close representation of what I saw.

A Pied-billed Grebe adult in winter plumage.

That didn't take long...you guys are good!  

Is this bird actually considered a duck?


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## TailCrackin (Feb 5, 2013)

no...grebes (Podicipediformes) are in completely different Order than the ducks, swans, geese etc. (Anseriformes).


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## Peter D (Feb 5, 2013)

Cool.  Thanks guys for shedding some light.


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## wray912 (Feb 5, 2013)

TailCrackin said:


> no...grebes (Podicipediformes) are in completely different Order than the ducks, swans, geese etc. (Anseriformes).



Also illegal to shoot


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## maughdr (Feb 5, 2013)

Sounds like a grebe


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## across the river (Feb 5, 2013)

wray912 said:


> Also illegal to shoot



That doesn't stop some people from killing one and then posting pictures on this forum.


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## Peter D (Feb 5, 2013)

Wait just a minute there son.  Are you implying that I killed this bird?  By asking a question of its identification?  Or has this happened with someone else in the past who actually did shoot a grebe and post a photo of it on here?

Did you not take the time to read my original post?  

I saw it on a pond at a park on the Chattahoochee river in Roswell (a suburb of metro Atlanta if you're unfamiliar) while I was out jogging.  *With people walking dogs and mommies pushing baby carriages, a gun toting man shooting birds inside city limits would have me in jail with no phone call allowed.*

 I then went home to get my binoculars so I could have a better look at it.

You're barking up the wrong tree if you're saying I'm a poacher.  The more tactful approach would have been to have asked me if I shot this bird (rather make a rash assumption).  

Asking me would have offended me still, since duck season has closed and this bird rarely ever flies (mainly at night during migration) even to avoid predators...it dives.  Which would insinuate that I shot it while it was sitting on the water.  

Have I now made myself abundantly clear as to how I came in contact with this protected animal?  I believe I have.


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## Steven Farr (Feb 5, 2013)

Peter D said:


> Wait just a minute there son.  Are you implying that I killed this bird?  By asking a question of its identification?  Or has this happened with someone else in the past who actually did shoot a grebe and post a photo of it on here?
> 
> I saw it on a pond at a park on the Chattahoochee river in Roswell (a suburb of metro Atlanta if you're unfamiliar) while I was out jogging.
> 
> ...



Dang!

He is talking about when goobers posted pictures of their trophy grebe in the past.  It happens sometimes in the "Decoys swimmin, mojos spinnin and benellis spittin" crowd


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## Peter D (Feb 5, 2013)

Steven Farr said:


> Dang!
> 
> He is talking about when goobers posted pictures of their trophy grebe in the past.  It happens sometimes in the "Decoys swimmin, mojos spinnin and benellis spittin" crowd



What was I supposed to think?  I posted a picture of a grebe on the forum.  I don't know of all the little goings on in this vast web of internet (e.g. people poaching grebes and posting photos on her of it).

  How would you take this comment if you were unaware that someone in fact did poach a grebe and post a picture of it?  When all I did was come across one on a pond in the suburbs while exercising. I make no apologies for setting the record straight since I feel I was being attacked.

Hopefully a misunderstanding.


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## little rascal (Feb 5, 2013)

*Grebe's*

taste a lot like Hooded merg's. They're good on a pepper, and everything else should be dog food!


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## Gaducker (Feb 5, 2013)

I reread the whole thread and it did not seem as if anyone was attacking you.   You felt attacked??????


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## ThunderRoad (Feb 5, 2013)

Peter D said:


> What was I supposed to think?  I posted a picture of a grebe on the forum.  I don't know of all the little goings on in this vast web of internet (e.g. people poaching grebes and posting photos on her of it).
> 
> How would you take this comment if you were unaware that someone in fact did poach a grebe and post a picture of it?  When all I did was come across one on a pond in the suburbs while exercising. I make no apologies for setting the record straight since I feel I was being attacked.
> Hopefully a misunderstanding.


Seasons over hoss. Let it go...now we will just train dogs, kill thunder chickens and catch catfish until August. Peace!


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## Turkey Trax (Feb 5, 2013)

Peter D said:


> Wait just a minute there son.  Are you implying that I killed this bird?  By asking a question of its identification?  Or has this happened with someone else in the past who actually did shoot a grebe and post a photo of it on here?
> 
> Did you not take the time to read my original post?
> 
> ...



settle down sally...i dont think anyone was attacking you.


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## T Tolbert (Feb 5, 2013)

Steven Farr said:


> Dang!
> 
> He is talking about when goobers posted pictures of their trophy grebe in the past.  It happens sometimes in the "Decoys swimmin, mojos spinnin and benellis spittin" crowd


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## andyparm (Feb 6, 2013)

Peter D said:


> Wait just a minute there son.  Are you implying that I killed this bird?  By asking a question of its identification?  Or has this happened with someone else in the past who actually did shoot a grebe and post a photo of it on here?
> 
> Did you not take the time to read my original post?
> 
> ...



I'm really confused about the part in red...shooting ducks on the water seems way easier than hitting them in the sky...


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## trophyslayer (Feb 6, 2013)

....


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## wray912 (Feb 6, 2013)

Not sure how that was aimed at you but the end result of this conversation posted by trophy slayer is freakin hilarious


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## fishndinty (Feb 6, 2013)

LOL  To answer as to whether grebes fly, don't think that if it is flying it is a duck!  Grebes DO fly and love to fly over and snuggle up to decoy spreads.  I have seen wardens running across the marsh on opening day to ticket people who shot a couple down!  A way for you newer hunters to start to tell the difference is by bill length.  A duck bill looks like a duck bill, and a grebe's bill is shorter and pointier.  You can see this very well even in pretty poor light.

A merganser, which IS legal to shoot, will look more like a duck on the wing, and its bill will be much more extended than a grebe's, but narrower than a puddle duck's.


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## vrooom (Feb 6, 2013)

There you have it
Grebes like to snuggle


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## oops1 (Feb 6, 2013)

wray912 said:


> Not sure how that was aimed at you but the end result of this conversation posted by trophy slayer is freakin hilarious



Gonna have to 2nd that one!!!


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## hoythunter1861 (Feb 6, 2013)

Gaducker said:


> I reread the whole thread and it did not seem as if anyone was attacking you.   You felt attacked??????



I second this!


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## FurFeathers&Scales (Feb 6, 2013)

This could honestly be the funniest thread I have ever read over here at Woody's.  Between Steven Farr, trophyslayer and vroom... I actually laughed loud enough for my wife to tell me to shut up!  

I don't think anyone was attacking anyone...  just a misunderstanding!

If you felt attacked by this... stay outta the waterfowl and the political forums around here!!


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