THIS STORY IS PART OF OUR WINTER SPORTS PLAYBOOK. READ MORE HERE.
Birdwatching probably isn’t the first activity that comes to mind when you think of things to do in the winter. But once the temperature drops, many beautiful (and weird) duck species make a temporary home on Lake Michigan and stay there throughout the winter. If you know what to look for, you might spot species on the water that you can’t see any other time of year.
Buffleheads
These fluffy pipsqueaks often swim in groups. Males have shiny green-and-purple heads with a distinctive slice of white feathers, and females are a nutty brown with a cranial patch of white.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Common Goldeneyes
Striking, yellow eyes set this species apart from many of their peers. From a distance, goldeneyes look a bit like buffleheads, and can often be seen diving for small invertebrates underwater.
Mergansers
Both red-breasted and common mergansers are frequent wintertime visitors. You’ll be able to spot either by their long, pointy beaks; common mergansers are slightly larger than red-breasted ones.
Long-tailed Ducks
With a tail that swoops toward the sky, adult male long-tails are some of the most elegant-looking birds on the water. Their female and immature male counterparts look a bit more scruffy but are equally energetic divers.
