When The Ducks Come Quacking In

As winter blooms into spring on the Platte River, geese return to the Iain Nicholson Audubon Middle at Rowe Sanctuary. Frequent duck species that migrate by way of our space embody Wooden Geese, Mallards, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, Blue-winged Teals, Redheads, Inexperienced-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, Cinnamon Teals, and Gadwalls. A few of them arrive as early as February and generally keep to breed/increase ducklings into the summer time.

 One of the widespread species seen is the Mallard. This duck will be discovered year-round in Nebraska, however it’s extra actively seen throughout December to June in Central Nebraska. Like most geese, Mallard men and women are sexually dimorphic: their bodily look differs.  Males have inexperienced heads, yellow payments, a white neck ring, reddish/brown chests, and grey our bodies, whereas the females have mottled brown with an orange invoice. Mallards are dabblers who’re opportunist foragers for meals corresponding to plant materials, bugs, earthworms, small fish, and tadpoles. Although widespread, the Mallard is at all times a delight to see swimming and foraging within the Platte River.

A rarer sight to see on the Platte River is the Cinnamon Teal. One particular person was noticed quite a few instances with a gaggle of Blue-winged Teals this spring round Rowe Sanctuary. Although it’s doable for a Cinnamon Teal to be seen in central Nebraska, it’s out of their regular migration sample, which is nearer to Western Nebraska/Jap Colorado. The Cinnamon Teal are sexually dimorphic as effectively, however much less so than the Mallard, with the men and women wanting remarkably related within the fall. Male Cinnamon Teals have crimson eyes, a reddish-brown head/chest/abdomen, and a mottled brown again. Additionally they have blue and inexperienced feathers, often seen throughout flight. Females are extra on the muted facet, being mottled brown throughout apart from gentle blue feathers seen throughout flight. Cinnamon Teals are shallow foragers, consuming largely plant materials with the occasional insect or small crustacean. One clarification for the Cinnamon Teal following this group of Blue-winged Teals is that they’ve been recognized to mate with Blue-winged Teals and hatch hybrids. 

The geese that migrate, reside, and breed on the Platte River are a wondrous sight to behold. Yearly, they carry their collage of vibrant feathers to the subdued winter colours of central Nebraska, as if to remind the river that spring is right here, and it’s time to paint the panorama with a kaleidoscope of colour!