Ducks of BC: An Identification Guide for Hunters

By Travis Bader, Silvercore Outdoors

Last updated: 13 November 2026

The ducks of British Columbia fall into two working groups: dabbling ducks, which feed by tipping up in shallow fresh water, and diving ducks, which feed underwater on deep lakes, rivers and coastal bays. A BC hunter has to tell them apart on the wing, because the federal daily bag limit of 8 ducks carries separate caps for Northern Pintail, Canvasback, the two goldeneyes and Harlequin Duck.

The marks below come from Environment Canada's Waterfowl Identification Guide, published by the Canadian Wildlife Service. The BC habitat notes come from the Province's Inventory Methods for Waterfowl and Allied Species. The federal guide's colour plates show drakes, hens and eclipse drakes, and they are worth studying before the season.

If you hunt ducks, every Silvercore Club member in good standing carries individual third-party liability coverage to a limit of $5 million that applies to hunting across Canada and the United States.

What is the difference between dabbling ducks and diving ducks?

Dabbling ducks feed at the surface and diving ducks feed underwater. The federal guide separates them this way:

• Where they live. Dabblers are typically birds of shallow freshwater marshes and watercourses. Divers frequent broad, deep lakes and rivers, and coastal bays and inlets.
• How they feed. Dabblers usually feed by dabbling or tipping, tails in the air. Divers feed by diving, often to considerable depths. Any duck feeding in croplands will likely be a dabbler, because most of the group walk well on land.
• How they take off. Most diving ducks must patter along the water before becoming airborne.
• Wings. The dabbler's speculum, the coloured wing patch, is generally iridescent and often a telltale field mark. The wing patches of divers lack that brilliance. Divers have smaller wings for their weight and a much more rapid wingbeat.

The guide describes these habitat preferences as a tendency each species shows, so expect exceptions.

Which dabbling ducks will I see in BC?

BC's inventory standard lists 11 dabbling ducks for the province. These eight are the ones the federal guide gives the clearest marks for.

• Mallard (61 cm). The federal guide calls it Canada's most common duck, found in every region. Drakes are often called greenheads. Whole flocks leave the water at dawn and dusk to feed in nearby fields. In BC it uses estuaries, bays, lakes, rivers, flooded fields and tidal marshes.
• Northern Pintail (66 cm). A long neck and long tail make it look longer than a Mallard, although it is smaller and lighter. It is a fast flier that zigzags down from height before landing, and it often feeds in grain fields. Drakes whistle. Hens have a coarse quack. In BC it winters on tidal marshes, estuaries and mudflats on the coast, and on flooded fields, ponds and lakes in the Interior. Daily limit of 4.
• American Wigeon (53 cm). The white belly and white forewing stand out against the rest of the body in the air. Flight is fast and irregular. Wigeons often raft up offshore until dusk, then move to marshes and ponds to feed. In BC they use estuaries, mudflats, shallow eelgrass bays and fields.
• Green-winged Teal (38 cm). The federal guide calls it the smallest of our ducks and one of the most common. At 400 g it is the lightest duck in the guide. Flight is often low and erratic, with the whole flock twisting and turning as one. In BC it uses tidal mudflats on the coast and shallow marshes and flooded fields in the Interior.
• Northern Shoveler (50 cm). Flight is steady and direct, and startled flocks twist and turn like teals. In BC it uses sheltered bays, estuaries, shallow lakes and flooded fields.
• Gadwall (53 cm). The only dabbling duck with a white speculum. Small, compact flocks fly swiftly in a direct line. Drakes whistle and call "kack-kack". In BC it uses coastal and Interior wetlands, flooded fields and large slow rivers, and favours deeper, more open water.
• Wood Duck (47 cm). A bird of wooded ponds and watercourses that perches in trees. Flight is swift and direct, and the wings make a rustling, swishing sound. In BC it keeps to waterways with mature forest and overhanging brush, and is rarely on salt water.
• Cinnamon Teal (41 cm). The federal guide says it is as common as the Blue-winged Teal in southern British Columbia. The pale blue forewing patch is the best field mark, because drakes are usually in eclipse plumage until January or later. Hens of the two teals look alike.

Which diving ducks will I see in BC?

BC's inventory standard lists the Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, both scaups, both goldeneyes and the Bufflehead among the province's diving ducks. The Harlequin Duck closes this list because the federal summary gives it a limit of its own.

• Canvasback (56 cm). The swiftest flier in the guide, with a rapid, noisy wingbeat. Flocks travel in lines and irregular Vs. On the water, body size and head shape separate it from the Redhead and the scaups. In BC it is found mostly on Interior lakes. Daily limit of 4.
• Redhead (51 cm). Often found with Canvasbacks. Flocks usually spend the day seeking deep water and feed at dawn and dusk in shallower water. Drakes purr and meow.
• Ring-necked Duck (43 cm). The wings are dark in flight, where the scaups show white-edged wings. Two light bands, at the tip and the base of the bill, are conspicuous. The ring on the drake's neck never shows in the field. It favours freshwater marshes and wooded ponds.
• Greater Scaup (47 cm) and Lesser Scaup (43 cm). Nearly identical at a distance. The light band near the trailing edge of the wing runs almost to the tip on the Greater Scaup and only halfway on the Lesser Scaup. Greater Scaup prefer large open water. Lesser Scaup often use marshes and ponds.
• Bufflehead (37 cm). Very small, black and white, with low, swift flight. It can fly straight up from the water, unlike most divers. During the nesting season it is found mainly in Alberta and British Columbia.
• Common Goldeneye and Barrow's Goldeneye (48 cm). Strong fliers whose wings whistle in flight. The hens of the two species look alike. Barrow's Goldeneye is predominantly a western bird. In BC, Common Goldeneyes winter on estuaries, bays, lakes and rivers. Daily limit of 2 for the two species combined.
• Harlequin Duck (43 cm). The drake has glossy slate-blue plumage with white stripes and patches. The hen resembles a small female scoter. The federal guide describes it as fairly rare, with a range limited to the coasts. Daily limit of 2.

Why do drakes look like hens early in the season?

Drakes moult into eclipse plumage. The federal guide explains that the drakes of nearly all species lose their bright breeding plumage after mating and resemble hens for a few weeks. Many species lose the eclipse plumage in fall. Wing feathers are shed only once a year, so wing colours and patterns always stay the same. Learn the wing marks first.

Why does duck identification matter legally in BC?

It matters because the limits are set by species. Environment and Climate Change Canada's summary of the Migratory Birds Hunting Regulations for British Columbia, August 2026 to July 2027 sets the same duck limits in all eight hunting districts:

• Daily bag limit: 8 ducks. Not more than 4 may be Northern Pintails, not more than 4 may be Canvasbacks, not more than 2 may be Barrow's Goldeneye or Common Goldeneye in any combination, and not more than 2 may be Harlequin Ducks.
• Possession limit: 24 ducks. Not more than 12 may be Northern Pintails, not more than 12 may be Canvasbacks, not more than 6 may be goldeneyes in any combination, and not more than 6 may be Harlequin Ducks.

Section 43(1) of the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 prohibits killing or taking more birds of a species or group of species in one day than the daily bag limit for the area. Section 52(1) prohibits possessing or transporting an unpreserved migratory game bird unless at least one fully feathered wing or the fully feathered head is attached. The federal frequently asked questions page says the wing or head is kept for identification and can be removed only once the bird is being fully preserved, which must occur outside the hunting area.

Open seasons differ by district, and the summary states that the law prevails if the two differ. This page is general information, not legal advice.

What the Silvercore Club gives a waterfowl hunter

Two Club benefits apply to a duck hunter. Every Silvercore Club member in good standing carries individual third-party liability coverage to a limit of $5 million, placed through HUB International and underwritten at Lloyd's. It applies to lawful firearms use and hunting across Canada and the United States, and it sits on top of any personal liability policy you already hold. Members also get regulatory updates by email. Membership is $59 a year, and anyone can join, with or without a PAL. Join the Silvercore Club.

What do I need to hunt ducks in BC?

You need a federal permit, a BC hunting licence and non-toxic shot.

• Federal permit. The federal summary requires a valid Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit with a Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp on it. Our page on the Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit covers the permit in detail.
• BC hunting licence. The Province's Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis requires you to carry the federal permit in addition to any required provincial hunting licences. A BC hunting licence requires a valid Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID), and resident hunters must have hunting credentials. The steps are in how to hunt in BC.
• Non-toxic shot. The federal summary states that in British Columbia the use and possession of shot other than non-toxic shot is prohibited while hunting migratory game birds, except for Band-tailed Pigeons, Eurasian Collared Doves and Mourning Doves.

Silvercore's Waterfowl 101: Duck & Goose Hunting Course is an online course with sections on ecology, scouting, decoys, concealment, calling, shotguns and strategies.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between dabbling ducks and diving ducks?

Dabbling ducks live on shallow freshwater marshes and watercourses and usually feed by tipping, tails in the air. Diving ducks use broad, deep lakes, rivers, coastal bays and inlets and feed by diving. Environment Canada's Waterfowl Identification Guide says most diving ducks must patter along the water before becoming airborne.

What is the daily bag limit for ducks in BC?

The federal summary for August 2026 to July 2027 sets a daily bag limit of 8 ducks in every BC hunting district. Within that 8, not more than 4 may be Northern Pintails, 4 may be Canvasbacks, 2 may be Barrow's or Common Goldeneye in any combination, and 2 may be Harlequin Ducks. The possession limit is 24.

Which ducks have their own limits in BC?

Northern Pintail, Canvasback, Barrow's Goldeneye, Common Goldeneye and Harlequin Duck. The federal summary for British Columbia caps each of them inside the daily limit of 8 ducks and the possession limit of 24. That summary covers one season, August 2026 to July 2027, so read the current one before you hunt.

Do I have to leave a wing on a duck in BC?

Yes. Section 52(1) of the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 prohibits possessing or transporting an unpreserved migratory game bird unless at least one fully feathered wing or the fully feathered head is attached. Environment and Climate Change Canada says the wing or head can be removed only once the bird is being fully preserved, outside the hunting area.

What do I need to hunt ducks in BC?

You need a valid federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit with the Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp on it, and a BC hunting licence, which requires a Fish and Wildlife ID. In British Columbia, the use and possession of shot other than non-toxic shot is prohibited while hunting ducks.

The Silvercore Path

• The Silvercore Club
• Waterfowl 101: Duck & Goose Hunting Course
• How to Hunt in BC: Licence Cost and Steps
• CORE Hunter Education Course
• Do I Need a PAL to Hunt in BC?