€How in the world did you know that duck's identity so quickly?€ I don't know how many times I have heard that after pointing out a bird in flight. I'm not saying that I am Olympic caliber at waterfowl identification, but I do try to use 7 key variables to narrow down the list of likely candidates make quick waterfowl ID. These are not meant to be hard, fast rules, but more general rules that will help you narrow down your search in an organized fashion.

Size of bird:
The process of waterfowl identification begins with identifying the birds you see by size. Ducks can be grouped into three sizes: small, medium and large. An example of a large duck would be a mallard. People often notice these far off in the distance flying above the trees, when smaller ducks would be hardly noticeable. This is a really quick way to narrow down the possibilities of birds flying towards your decoys.

Silhouette:
Certain waterfowl have very distinct silhouettes that will key to what they are immediately. The wedge shaped head of a canvasback is a dead give away if one flies by you. A drake pintail has a very long tail that is an easy way to single it out.

Type of Habitat:
Certain types of ducks are more likely to frequent different types of habitat. It would be considered strange to see a raft of canvasbacks land in a secluded pond, however if you saw a flock of wood ducks it would be considered normal. Along the same lines, you would be surprised to see a group of blue wing teal land at the end of a wind swept point on a big lake, but would not be surprised in the least to see a flock of bluebills do the same.

Location:
If you frequent a certain area you will begin to notice that certain waterfowl are more common and likely to be flying around than others. It would be uncommon to see a Surf Scoter in the Central flyway, but common out on the East Coast. Likewise, widgeon are reasonably common in the Central Flyway, but not common at all on the East Coast.

Flock pattern " flight activity:
How are the birds relating to each other? If they in a tight group changing positions often, a flock of teal should be your first guess. If they are flying in a loose group, but mainly staying in the same place in relation to the rest of the flock, you are likely looking at a group of mallards.

Time of Season:
Waterfowl migrate south, some earlier than others. Blue wing teal are well known to migrate early, so if it is later in the season you can likely discount them. Similarly, it would be rare to see a canvasback flying towards you opening day.

Plumage:
Here is where your waterfowl identification chart can really help. There are often very distinct colors / patterns that pop out while the bird is approaching. The patented green head of a drake mallard, the white patch on the side of the head of a bufflehead, the telltale blue patch on the wing of blue winged teal are all great clues that can be noticed quickly.

With the way regulations change in waterfowl hunting it is critical that waterfowl hunters become proficient at identifying birds in flight. While the waterfowl identification chart included in many regulation manuals is an excellent start, a more refined approach is required to make a quick ID in the field. If you follow these seven tips you will become an expert at waterfowl identification in a very little time.