Ducks that are black and white stand out beautifully on the water, their contrasting plumage creating a sharp and elegant appearance. The dark and light patterns often serve as both camouflage and display, helping them blend into shimmering water surfaces while also signaling identity during mating or territorial displays.
These ducks are commonly found in lakes, rivers, and coastal regions, where their glossy black feathers and crisp white patches reflect sunlight in dazzling patterns. Their plumage can vary slightly between males and females, with males often showing bolder contrasts during the breeding season.
Behaviorally, these birds are strong swimmers and agile divers. They use their webbed feet to propel themselves underwater in pursuit of aquatic insects, crustaceans, and plants. Their bodies are built for buoyancy and speed, allowing them to move gracefully both above and below the surface.
Their feeding habits and flight patterns are often synchronized with changes in the seasons. Many travel long distances to find food-rich wetlands or to breed in more temperate regions. During migration, their black-and-white markings make them easy to spot against the pale sky or glittering waters, adding to their charm for birdwatchers and naturalists alike.
Ducks that Are Black and White
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
Found in: North America.
A small, chunky diving duck. The male is strikingly patterned with a large, puffy white head patch that contrasts with its black back and a dark, iridescent green and purple head. The female is a more subdued gray-brown with a smaller white cheek patch.
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Found in: North America, Europe, and Asia.
A medium-sized diving duck. The male has a dark, iridescent green head that appears black, a bright white body, and a circular white spot between its eye and bill. The female has a chocolate-brown head and a gray body.
Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)
Found in: North America and Iceland.
Similar to the Common Goldeneye, the male Barrow’s Goldeneye has a purplish-black head, a white crescent-shaped (not circular) face patch, and more black barring on its white sides. It is often found in more mountainous regions.
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Found in: North America.
A small, fish-eating duck. The male is a dramatic study in black and white with a black head, back, and neck, and a large, fan-shaped white crest that can be expanded or contracted. The female is a muted brown with a smaller, reddish-brown crest.
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
Found in: North America, Europe, and Asia.
A large, slender “sawbill” duck. The breeding male has a clean, white body, a dark iridescent green head, and a black back. The female has a gray body and a distinctive, shaggy reddish-brown head with a sharp white chin.
Smew (Mergellus albellus)
Found in: Europe and Asia.
A small, elegant merganser. The male is almost entirely white, crisply marked with black lines on its face, a black eye patch, and fine black barring on its back and flanks, giving it a “cracked ice” appearance. The female has a gray body and a chestnut-brown head with a white cheek.
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Found in: Arctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
A distinctive sea duck known for its complex plumage that changes with the seasons. In winter, the male is predominantly white with dark cheek patches, a brown breast band, and long, slender tail feathers. Its patterns are a beautiful mosaic of black, brown, and white.
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
Found in: Northern coastlines of North America, Europe, and Asia.
The largest duck in the Northern Hemisphere. The male is unmistakable with its stark white back and black belly, sides, and cap. It has a subtle green wash on its nape. The female is a well-camouflaged, mottled brown.
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)
Found in: High Arctic coasts of North America, Europe, and Asia.
A spectacular sea duck. The breeding male has a blue-gray crown, a bright orange-red bill shield, and a white breast and head patch contrasting with its black body. The female is a mottled brown, similar to the Common Eider but with a more rounded head shape.
Muscovy Duck (Black and White Variant) (Cairina moschata)
Found in: Domesticated worldwide; wild populations in the American tropics.
While wild Muscovies are mostly black, domestic breeds often exhibit a piebald pattern of glossy black and clean white. They are large, quiet ducks with a distinctive fleshy red caruncle on their face.
Magpie Duck
Found in: Domesticated worldwide.
An ornamental domestic breed named for its distinct, crisp black-and-white patterning, reminiscent of a magpie bird. It has a black cap, back, and tail, with the rest of the body being pure white. It is a lightweight, upright breed.
Ancona Duck
Found in: Domesticated worldwide.
A hardy, medium-weight domestic duck known for its broken, mottled “piebald” or “broken” plumage, which is a random mixture of black and white. No two Anconas are marked exactly alike. They are valued as a good all-purpose utility duck.