BOOTHBAY REGISTER • March 17, 2025
Green is the color associated with St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the U.S. The black head of our beloved common loon in breeding plumage can show an iridescent green color in just the right light. That’s true also of a few other black-headed waterfowl that we see regularly in Maine including the male common merganser, common goldeneye, and greater and lesser scaup. Male wood ducks (which are just now returning across the state), have a green head and crest. The male mallard is famous for his green, shiny head, and several other ducks that are regular in Maine have spots of green in the head including the green-winged teal (also in the wing) and the American wigeon. We can’t leave out the subtly beautiful lime green that you can see this time of year on the back of the head of the male eider, contrasting with the black cap and white cheek and body. We have just touched on a few of the green birds of Maine. ~ Jeffrey V. Wells and Allison Childs Wells