The female is pale brown with streaks overall and a darker belly, dark eyes, and a brown to orange bill. She has a blue wing patch. In eclipse plumage, the male is similar to the female but with redder plumage, and a grey head with a white crescent on the face. Eiders feed by diving, dipping, and up-ending often in shallow water, foraging for molluscs, crustaceans, and sometimes fish. They can also swim underwater. The male’s haunting call carries far, while the female produces a series of guttural sounds during breeding season. The female is similar to the male in eclipse plumage and very similar to the female mallard. The head is grey and the tail is dull. The bill has orange sides, and the legs are orange. Livezey, B. C. (1998). "A phylogenetic analysis of modern pochards (Anatidae: Aythini)" (PDF). The Auk. 113 (1): 74–93. doi: 10.2307/4088937. JSTOR 4088937.

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Johnsgard, Paul A. (161). "The Taxonomy of the Anatidae: A behavioural analysis". Ibis. 103: 71–85. doi: 10.1111/j.1474-919X.1961.tb02421.x. Distribution: Restricted to scattered areas of Scotland and the east of England in summer in only small numbers. Their significant winter population has an expanded range that includes much of the English coastline and parts of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Distribution: Widespread across England, parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Less common in Wales and south-west England but they can be seen here as their range expands during the winter.Shovelers feed by swimming slowly across water, skimming the surface from side to side with its bill. It sometimes submerges its head. They often feed in groups, swimming in circles to churn up the water and bring food to the surface. These birds have a hook at the tip of the bill and lamellae along the edges to help grip fish, they specialise in diving for prey. Gadwall ( Mareca strepera) – 1,200 pairs/25,000 birds – native (though numbers increased by releases of captive birds) The female has grey-brown to tawny barred and spotted plumage, with a white belly, and plain flanks. The head is grey with a dark smudge behind the eye.

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These beautiful birds are native to east Asia but feral populations became established in the UK early in the 20th century. They are now quite widespread and are of course very easily identified, particularly the colourful male. The female is mottled brown overall with a white streak by the tail. The green stripe on the wing is less bright, and the bill is grey with a pink base. The male in eclipse plumage resembles the female. Mallards upend in shallow water, feed from the surface, and sometimes dive. They also graze on dry land, and forage for food in fields and woodland. Distribution: Mainly restricted to the highlands of Scotland during the summer, their winter range includes most coastal areas, lakes, large rivers and other inland water bodies. They are particularly best looked for in north and west Britain.Latham, John (1790). Index ornithologicus, sive Systema Ornithologiae; complectens avium divisionem in classes, ordines, genera, species, ipsarumque varietates: adjectis synonymis, locis, descriptionibus, &c. London: Leigh & Sotheby. Teals feed by upending, dabbling, or grazing. It may also submerge its head completely, and occasionally dives.