Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris) are named for a chestnut ring encircling the necks of the drakes, but it is faint and can only be seen at close range or with a bird in hand.
Vociferous by nature and by scientific name (Charadrius vociferus) the Killdeer gets its common name from the sound of its shrill, far-carrying cry as it circles in flight.
Leucism is a condition caused by a genetic mutation that results in the loss of all types of pigmentation—the affected areas can be either entirely white or a pale, washed out shade of the expected coloration.
The Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) is a game bird in the pheasant family. Perdix is Latin for partridge. They were introduced into North America in the early 1900s from Hungary and Czechoslovakia.