In freshwater ponds and marshes, catch a glimpse of the green-winged teal, the only species of duck observed scratching itself during flight. Southeast has rock ptarmigan and blue grouse. Willow ptarmigan, the state bird, is a responsible bird. Males help care for their chicks and take over if anything happens to the female. Also familial, the Vancouver Canada goose mates for life.
Youngsters stay with their parents up to four years.
When hunters stalk the wetlands, the geese head for Auke Lake, returning as soon as hunters head home. The harlequin duck, chestnut-backed chickadee and American dipper make their home in Southeast Alaska. Rufous hummingbirds desert Mexico for Alaska from April to August. The males are distinguished by their iridescent orange-red throat. The most common sea ducks in Juneau are scoters, oldsquaw, Barrow's goldeneye, harlequin and buffleheads along with mallards, scaups and mergansers.