32 



RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaioensis; choice 12', pg. 35) is a small brown 

 or black-capped duck with a large whitish patch on the side of the head, 

 uniformly dark wings, and bluish legs and feet. Breeding-pi umaged males 

 have striking blue bills and ruddy back coloration. Small numbers of 

 Ruddy Ducks breed near the coast from Vancouver Island to Baja California, 

 Much larger numbers winter along the coast in that area. 



COMMON MERGANSER (Mergus merganser; choices 38 and 38', pg. 39) and 

 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (Mergus serrator; choices 39 and 39', pg. 39) are 

 narrow-billed ducks (Plate 19). Bills and legs are orangish. The wings 

 have white patches. Breeding-pi umaged males have green heads; in other 

 plumages the head is brownish. The two species are best identified by 

 characteristics given in the key. Red-breasted Mergansers breed near the 

 coast through much of Alaska and northern British Columbia. They winter 

 from southeast Alaska to Baja California. Common Mergansers breed near 

 the coast from south-central Alaska to northern California. They winter 

 from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound and less commonly to southern 

 California. 



RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS (RALLIDAE) 



AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana; choice 7, pg. 20) is a slaty to 

 black-bodied bird with white under the tail. An entire carcass, with 

 its chicken-like bill (Plate 19-5) and lobed toes (Plate 37-4), is 

 unmistakable. Wings of a coot might be confused with those of a murre 

 because both have black secondaries with white tips. However, the 

 outer edge of the outer primaries are white on the coot but not on the 

 murre, and the coot's wings are much broader and less pointed. American 

 Coots may be found from British Columbia to Baja California year round. 



OYSTERCATCHERS (HAEMATOPODIDAE) 



AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus palliatus; choice 3, pg. 42) and 

 BLACK OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus baehmani; choice 6', pg.42 ) are moderate 

 sized, heavy-set birds with a long laterally-compressed bill, red in 

 adults and brown in juveniles. Bill size is not a good character for 

 separating the two species. Adults of both species are pink-legged. The 

 two species are easily distinguished. The Black Oystercatcher's plumage 

 is entirely black-brown, but that of the American Oystercatcher is white 

 ventrally. Both species are year round residents in their ranges. 

 American Oystercatchers have only rarely been found north of Baja 

 California. Black Oystercatchers occur from the Aleutian Islands to 

 northern Baja California but become relatively uncommon on the mainland 

 coast south of central California. 



