What bird is this?

[McCRIZZLEY]

Far right one. Pretty solid gray body and wings. Long orange beak. cinnamon head that had a little bit of a scoop on the back of it.

I have been seeing a lot of these in a newer area I hunt, figured I should find out what it is before I shoot one, then found this one dead on the bank. Brought it home to identify and coming up with nothing...

[McCRIZZLEY]

Having some serious issues posting pictures today. Figured I would try to work around it and post in a comment... still not working.

[dbmickle]

Sounds like a hen common merg from the description

[McCRIZZLEY]

The bottom of my screen just says uploading, then waiting for huntingwa.com.... then goes to a white blank page and stays there. Pics are .jpeg and only 1,100kb. I also tried resizing to make more squarish. Guess you guys will never know and stealth bird will haunt your day and clutter your feed. Might try updating tomorrow or from a different computer.

[McCRIZZLEY]

Sounds like a hen common merg from the description

just googled that and I'm pretty sure you're right. I saw a few drawings of them, but the beak didn't seam long enough. Looking at real images though I think you are spot on. Thanks!

[dbmickle]

That bird actually looks like a hen red breasted merg, I've never shot one, but it looks a tad different than a common

[buckcanyonlodge]

Some hunters call those " Shoot and Release " ducks                   mergansers

[lokidog]

That bird actually looks like a hen red breasted merg, I've never shot one, but it looks a tad different than a common

They are very similar and need to be seen from the front.

Some hunters call those " Shoot and Release " ducks                   mergansers

Shame on those "hunters".   

[CP]

That’s a regal looking bird on the far left. 

[lokidog]

That’s a regal looking bird on the far left. 

Hey, Coots need loving too.     My mom preferred them over other ducks as she always asked me to whack a couple for her.  One thing going for them is that if you are a gizzard lover like I am, they have larger gizzards to body size than any duck.   

McCrizzley, if you knock down some of the Mergansers, my family likes them ground up and then cooked in any kind of Salisbury Steak recipe with mashed potatoes and gravy. You can soak the breast overnight in milk if you are worried about the stronger taste that they will often have, I don't though.

[McCRIZZLEY]

Mmm sounds good. I've been hunting the snake lately and not seeing many of the birds I'm used to eating. So I've just been freezing a pile of breasts and I think I'll try some sausage this year. Thought the left one was a scoter?

[lokidog]

Mmm sounds good. I've been hunting the snake lately and not seeing many of the birds I'm used to eating. So I've just been freezing a pile of breasts and I think I'll try some sausage this year. Thought the left one was a scoter?

That's so coot... er, cute.....     

[CP]

I haven’t gotten up the nerve to eat a coot or a coot part yet, but I hear that coots make good dog treats when dried. 

[270Shooter]

There is a reason why you found it on the bank. I would avoid shooting them.

[Duckgtr]

Mmm sounds good. I've been hunting the snake lately and not seeing many of the birds I'm used to eating. So I've just been freezing a pile of breasts and I think I'll try some sausage this year. Thought the left one was a scoter?

That my good sir is the every elusive ivory bill. aka coot or mudhen