Ringneck drake Swift, erratic flight. Look for a dark head and breast with a white belly. A dark back and wings helps distinguish this duck in flight from scaup. Hooded Merganser hen Mergansers have narrow, pointed bills. Red-Breasted Merganser drake Uncommon in Arkansas.
Flight is strong and direct, usually low over the water.
Difficult to distinguish in flight from the common merganser. Red-Breasted Merganser hen Female s head and neck are paler than female Common Merganser. Look for green head and white body on the drake. Common Merganser hen Female s bright chestnut, crested head contrast sharply with white chin and breast. This document has been digitized and is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.