Saskatchewan Hunter Safety Course

The mallard is one of the most easily-recognizable ducks, with its green head and the white ring around its neck, and is one of the most abundant ducks in the world. It is found throughout North America, Central America, Europe and Asia; always on open water such as lakes, ponds, marshes and bays. The mallard's courtship starts in early fall, forming pairs in early to mid-winter. The pair then migrates to the female's place of origin.

The pintail is more slender than the mallard, with a longer neck. The female is very similar in coloration to the mallard female, but is a little paler, gray, and have a more pointed tail. They mainly reside on calm freshwater bodies such as marshes or ponds, but are also found on tundra, and sometimes on saltwater marshes in the wintertime.Pintails migrate by early October, so it is relatively scarce during Saskatchewan's hunting seasons.

The widgeon is a medium sized duck, remaining in Saskatchewan well into October before migrating south. They are sometimes referred to as the "baldplate" because of the white forehead. Usually seen in small tightly bunched flocks, their flight is fast and erratic.The widgeon is one of the most common ducks that you will find feeding on land rather than in the water.

A relatively small, plainly colored duck. They have a black bill and a black end. The gadwall is usually one of the first species to migrate in the fall, and among the last to head north in the spring. They are not a very common duck, but their range extends over most of the United States, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean. 

The shoveler is easily recognized, and is found in most of North America's wetlands throughout the year. Its bill is about 2.5 inches long and spoon-shaped, with about 110 fine comb-like projections along its edges, allowing it to filter food from the water very efficiently. 

One of two species common in Saskatchewan, the blue-winged teal gets its name from the patch of blue feathers on its wings. In the summer they are found throughout most of Canada and the northern United States. Though numerous in early fall, they are known to spend winter months in southern California and Texas, through to the tropics of Central America.

Green-winged teal are one of the smallest ducks in Saskatchewan. They seldom exceed 350 grams. Their erratic, twisting flight and small size give the impression of great speed and make a difficult target. Although green-winged teal are a late migrant, most leave before their winter plumage develops. Fall birds are mottled brown. This species can be confused with blue-winged teal. In hand, the iridescent green wing speculum and the absence of a blue patch allows positive identification.