Leith Birds: Ducks

This is the 3rd post in a series of guest blog posts about birds you might see on the Water of Leith by Juliet Wilson.

There are several different species of ducks that can be found along the Water of Leith in and around Leith. These are the species that are most regularly seen along the river.

Green-Headed Ducks: The Mallard

This is the most familiar duck and can be seen anywhere along the Water of Leith and probably on any piece of water in Leith. The male is very distinctive with his green head (which can sometimes look purple in some lights!). The female is dull and brown but has a lovely blue bit in her wings (see the photo). Mallards will breed with other species of ducks so you can sometimes see males with very strange looking plumage or females with white patches. You can read more about the mallard on the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/mallard/index.aspx.

Green-Headed Ducks: Goosander and Red-breasted Merganser

In the winter, anywhere along the Water of Leith in Edinburgh, you may see goosanders. The males are smart looking birds with a distinctive white and black patterned body and a dark green head. From a distance they can be confused with mallards (though they are bigger and lighter in colour on their bodies).

The female goosander is mostly grey with a reddish brown head and can be confused with the female of the closely related red breasted merganser. The male red-breasted merganser is a more decorative version of the goosander. The red-breasted merganser is not so common on the river but has been seen in the Leith area in the past year.

The goosander and merganser are saw-bills, so-called because they have long serrated beaks. They are diving birds.

You can find out more (including photos) about the goosander on the RSPB website:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goosander/index.aspx

You can find out more (including photos) about the red breasted merganser on the RSPB website:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redbreastedmerganser/index.aspx

Goldeneye

Both male and female goldeneye can be confused with the goosander, though they don’t have the serrated saw-like beak. If you get close enough to them you will see their golden eyes! They have been seen in 2010 along the Leith and Bonnington stretches of the Water of Leith.

You can read more about the goldeneye on the RSPB website:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldeneye/index.aspx

Other Ducks

Tufted Duck

The tufted duck is smaller than a mallard and the male is mostly black and white. In spring he has a very distinctive crest on his head. The female is much duller. They are often found on ponds anywhere in Edinburgh and along the Water of Leith.

You can find out more about the tufted duck on the RSPB website:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/t/tuftedduck/index.aspx

Eider

The Eider is a big sea duck that can be seen along the Shore at Leith and Granton and sometimes in the mouth of the Water of Leith. The male is very distinctive, mostly black and white though close up you can see he has funny green ‘ear covers’. The female is drab brown but can be recognised by the shape of her beak (see the link below). They are sociable birds and can often be seen in large flocks. If you get close enough to a large group of them you may hear them making a wonderful noise a bit like the call of an owl.

You can find out more about the eider on the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/e/eider/index.aspx

Juliet Wilson is a poet, reviewer and adult education tutor with an interest in making crafts from re-used materials. You can find out more about her work here and here. Photo credit: Bob Bryson

Comments

[Brian Thomson]

Best place to see Goldeney duck in winter in Leith is in the sea. There were up to 950 between Newhaven and Granton in the cold snap before Christmas, and a few hundred more off Seafield. Eider duck can also be seen in their hundreds, for example between Granton and Silverknowes