Duck ID

[Herb Houghton]

I'm not sure of this species, it looks similar to some grebes. This was in Barnegat Inlet, N.J.

[Dan Brown]

This is a Loon and I think that it is a winter plumaged Yellow-billed Loon. Nice find!

[Herb Houghton]

Thanks very much Dan.

[John Chardine]

Herb- It's often useful to key on on certain key features so that you can narrow the search for an ID. In this case notice the sharply pointed bill. Ducks usually have a flattened bill that is rounded at the end (except for mergansers which have a bit of a hook).

[Axel Hildebrandt]

Looks like a Common Loon in non-breeding plumage.

[Paul Lagasi]

Common Loon...Non-Breeding...

[Daniel Cadieux]

I agree with Axel and Paul. Although the Yellow-billed Loon and Common Loon look rather similar in winter plumage, the location this image was taken would suggest a Common Loon.

[Dan Brown]

I have consulted my bird guides (Nat. Geo 5th ed. and Sibley's) and I now really think that this bird is a Yellow-billed Loon! Nat. Geo. describes the culmen (upper edge of the upper mandible) as being straight on Yellow-billed, which gives the bill an upturned look, which this image clearly shows both! Sibley's shows a few records of Yellow-billed in the northeast, so the location is possible. And, the tone and contrast on the back of this bird fits Yellow-billed, IMO:D

[Peter Knoot]

Except the bill is not yellow............Given that it is extremely rare on the East Coast, chances are this is a Common Loon.

[Dan Brown]

Except the bill is not yellow............Given that it is extremely rare on the East Coast, chances are this is a Common Loon.

A winter plumaged Yellow-billed loon doesn't show much if any yellow. One really needs to go by the structure of the bill.

I am far from an expert but I really think that this is a Yellow-billed Loon and possibly a very rare bird for NJ!! I think that maybe this image should be shown to a more specialized group such as the NJ rare bird committee, if there is such a committee. If this were a CA sighting, I would be submitting it to the California Rare Bird Committee!

[Kirk Zufelt]

This is most definitively not a Yellow-billed Loon. You can clearly see the darkish outer upper culmen which is the clinching factor for Common Loon. The culmen is clearly angled and not straight. The dagger shaped bill is very typical for Common Loon as is the bluish color. I have seen 1000s of winter plumage Common Loons over the years and this is about as typical as one gets.

Kirk Zufelt

[Eric Driver]

this is certainly a common loon. at Barnegat, yellow loons are not usually present but common loons are very usual. they start to get there breeding plumage around march, which looks a lot cooler.