MALE TUFTED DUCKS MOLTING FROM BREEDING TO NONBREEDING (ECLIPSE) PLUMAGE, TJORNIN POND, REYKJAVIK, ICELAND, 7/6/2024

   We can ID these ducks as male Tufted Ducks as follows:

• Black rounded head with drooping tuft from nape
• Bright yellow eyes
• Flanks are a mixture of white and gray.  These Tufted Ducks are molting from breeding plumage (white flanks) to nonbreeding or eclipse plumage (gray flanks), so they have flanks which are a mix of white and gray.
• The rest of the ducks plumages that we can see are black.
• Grayish bill with black nail

   The Tufted Duck is a new species to our ebird Photographic Life List.  Our ebird Life List now stands at 1,139.