{"id":110014,"date":"2023-02-05T04:32:48","date_gmt":"2023-02-05T11:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=110014"},"modified":"2023-02-05T04:33:17","modified_gmt":"2023-02-05T11:33:17","slug":"urban-ring-necked-duck-hen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/02\/05\/urban-ring-necked-duck-hen\/","title":{"rendered":"Urban Ring-necked Duck Hen"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Just a simple urban Ring-necked Duck hen photo this morning. I photographed this female diving duck at my local pond exactly five years ago today.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter size-full wp-image-110009\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872.jpg\" alt=\"Urban Ring-necked Duck hen, Salt Lake County, Utah\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27600%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20900%20600%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27900%27%20height%3D%27600%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872-200x133.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872.jpg 900w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Urban Ring-necked Duck hen \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>As often as I see Ring-necked Ducks during the fall and winter I really don&#8217;t have that many photos of them in my archives or galleries. Away from urban areas I have found them to be rather skittish which may be part of the reason why I have fewer images of them than I would like to have.<\/p>\n<p>With their mostly black and white plumage, drake <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ring-necked_duck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Ring-necked Ducks<\/span><\/a> are flashier than the hens are. I enjoy the more subtle beauty of the mostly brown hens.<\/p>\n<p>This hen Ring-necked Duck was very cooperative and I took quite a few images of her when she swam in close to where I sat in a mobile blind. As I recall it was quite chilly that bright winter afternoon and I needed gloves on to keep my fingers from getting numb.<\/p>\n<p>This winter I have seen both male and female Ring-necked Ducks at my neighborhood pond. They have stayed out in the middle of the pond where I can&#8217;t get the frame filling images of them that I would like to have.<\/p>\n<p>I hope that I will be able to take a few more images of this diving duck species before they leave and head to their breeding grounds. Whether I do or not primarily depends on if the sun is shining instead of heavy dark clouds over the valley. It has been a fairly gray winter here in northern Utah, much grayer than usual.<\/p>\n<p>Life<em> is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/ring-necked-duck-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Ring-necked Duck photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Just a simple urban Ring-necked Duck hen photo this morning. I photographed this female diving duck at my local pond exactly five years ago today.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":110009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,132,709,26],"tags":[4165,4753,1129,126,4070,4359,1984,4011,8018,3996,2063,373],"class_list":["post-110014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-ring-necked-ducks","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-aythya-collaris","tag-diving-ducks","tag-duck","tag-ducks-2","tag-female","tag-hen","tag-pond","tag-ring-necked-duck","tag-urban","tag-water","tag-waterfowl","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-mia-mcpherson-9872.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-sCq","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":170653,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2026\/02\/28\/hen-ring-necked-duck-on-lower-scarborough-slough\/","url_meta":{"origin":110014,"position":0},"title":"Hen Ring-necked Duck On Lower Scarborough Slough","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I'm sharing a simple photo of a hen Ring-necked Duck swimming on Lower Scarborough Slough, taken yesterday at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hen Ring-necked Duck on Lower Scarborough Slough, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-and-bugs-mia-mcpherson-9206.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-and-bugs-mia-mcpherson-9206.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-and-bugs-mia-mcpherson-9206.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-and-bugs-mia-mcpherson-9206.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":119952,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/01\/20\/ring-necked-duck-and-an-odd-lesser-scaup\/","url_meta":{"origin":110014,"position":1},"title":"Ring-necked Duck And An Odd Lesser Scaup","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Seven days ago I found a Ring-necked Duck and an odd Lesser Scaup drake at my local pond. The scaup puzzled me and I wondered if he might be a hybrid.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bird ID&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bird ID","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/bird-identification\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ring-necked Duck and an odd Lesser Scaup, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-necked-duck-and-weird-scaup-mia-mcpherson-1489.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-necked-duck-and-weird-scaup-mia-mcpherson-1489.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-necked-duck-and-weird-scaup-mia-mcpherson-1489.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ring-necked-duck-and-weird-scaup-mia-mcpherson-1489.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6634,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/11\/23\/ring-necked-duck-drake\/","url_meta":{"origin":110014,"position":2},"title":"Ring-necked Duck Drake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 23, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this drake Ring-necked Duck in breeding plumage a few years ago on a pond not far from where I live.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ring-necked Duck drake, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-mia-mcpherson-0993.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-mia-mcpherson-0993.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-mia-mcpherson-0993.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-mia-mcpherson-0993.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":44487,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/01\/20\/possible-name-change-for-ring-necked-duck-to-ring-billed-duck\/","url_meta":{"origin":110014,"position":3},"title":"Possible Name Change for Ring-necked Duck to Ring-billed Duck","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 20, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2017 one of the proposals submitted to the AOS is to rename Ring-necked Ducks to Ring-billed Ducks and I personally am all for the name change!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ring-necked Duck on pastel water & ice, , Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-drake-mia-mcpherson-1194.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-drake-mia-mcpherson-1194.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-drake-mia-mcpherson-1194.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-drake-mia-mcpherson-1194.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55045,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/11\/19\/some-of-the-joys-of-photographing-birds-close-to-home\/","url_meta":{"origin":110014,"position":4},"title":"Some Of The Joys Of Photographing Birds Close To Home","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I spent some time at one of the local ponds yesterday afternoon and came home with photos that made me smile and for a little while I forgot about the long hours I spent getting skunked on the road earlier in the day.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Coots&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Coots","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/gruiformes\/american-coots\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hen Ring-necked Duck with her bill open wide, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-calling-mia-mcpherson-0196.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-calling-mia-mcpherson-0196.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-calling-mia-mcpherson-0196.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ring-necked-duck-hen-calling-mia-mcpherson-0196.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7942,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/03\/25\/funny-monday-birds\/","url_meta":{"origin":110014,"position":5},"title":"Funny Monday Birds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 25, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Just some funny images of birds for a Monday. These photos just beg for humorous captions.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Upside down Chukar near the marina on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-upside-down-mia-mcpherson-1657.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-upside-down-mia-mcpherson-1657.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-upside-down-mia-mcpherson-1657.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-upside-down-mia-mcpherson-1657.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110014\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}