Tufted Duck

Look for compact diving ducks on open freshwater lakes, reservoirs, gravel pits, and urban park ponds, where they repeatedly up-end and plunge to forage on molluscs, invertebrates, and aquatic vegetation along the bottom. Males are unmistakable in their bold black-and-white plumage with the characteristic drooping crest, while females show brown tones with a shorter crest and a subtle pale patch at the bill base; listen for the soft, growling purr of males and the harsh, rapid scaup-like call of females during the breeding season. Winter offers the most rewarding views, when large rafts gather on open water from October through March, often riding waves in the middle of exposed reservoirs — visit at dawn or dusk when feeding activity peaks, and scan with binoculars from elevated bankside vantage points for the best sightlines.