Waterfowlers Glossary
Duck talk
Jeff Davis | https://gundogcentral.com
Each subgroup of the hunting culture has their own language. Within that, every group of hunting friends have their own terms and points of reference in the blind. One of the many things we can agree on as we talk to non-hunters is that it is “Canada geese”, not “Canadian geese”. Here is a sampling of more general terms wingshooters becoming familiar with waterfowling can use.
Banded: In reference to a metallic band around a migratory bird's leg with alpha-numeric codes. Placed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or research groups for tracking and data gathering of populations. Neck collars and radio telemetry 'backpacks’ are other methods of ‘banding’ for research.
Blackhead: Drake Bluebill
Cotton Top/Bald Pate: Drake American Wigeon
Dark Geese: In reference to Canada geese.
Divers: Refers to the group of diving duck species such as: canvasbacks, redheads, bluebills, bufflehead, & ruddy ducks.
Drake: Male duck. Sometimes the term ‘bull’ in place of; such as a ‘bull pintail’ or ‘bull canvasback’.
Feed call: Term of cadence in calling to ducks mimicking the feeding chuckle sound.
Flare: When birds are looking and interested in your decoys and then pull up and out. Typically due to a number of reasons ranging from motion decoys (they don’t always draw them in) or someone peering up from the blind with their face not concealed.
Flocking: Refers to the texture added to decoys, on full body and silhouette decoys, in order to add ‘life-like’ quality and reduce the glare from sunlight.
Flyway: Refers to the Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic migratory bird corridors to and from breeding grounds in the north, to wintering grounds in the south.
Fresh Birds: Birds that just migrated into the area; typically ahead of a cold front or temperature drop up north.
Full-bodies: Refers to three-dimensional decoys used in field hunting. ‘Floaters’ are floating full-body decoys.
Greenhead: Drake Mallard
Grass ducks: Grouping of shallow water puddle ducks including wigeon, pintails and teal.
Hen: Female duck
Highball: Term of cadence in calling to ducks at a distance.
Honker: Term for large Canada geese.
Humpback: In reference to generally all Browning A5s, but usually to the older Belgian made models.
Lawn darts: In reference to Mergansers for the sharp point of their bills.
Light Geese: In reference to all snow geese.
Locked Up: In reference to the bird or birds keyed on the decoys and calling that their wings are locked in preparation for landing. Also used as the term “cupped up” for the shape the wings make.
Puddlers: Refers to the group of puddle duck species such as: mallards, wigeon, shovelers, gadwall, wood ducks, pintail, black ducks, mottled ducks, Mexican ducks, green wing teal, blue wing teal, cinnamon teal.
Reverse Migration: In reference to birds migrating north in the Spring to the breeding grounds.
Sea Ducks: Refers to the group of sea duck species such as: common scoter, white wing scoter, asdf scoter, harlequin, old squaw/long-tails, and eiders.
Silhouettes: Refers to a cutout, two-dimensional style decoys commonly used in fields.
Specklebelly/Tarbelly: In reference to White-fronted geese.
Spread: Refers to the decoy set up. Also referred to as a decoy ‘rig’.
Spoonbill: Northern Shoveler
Sprig: Refers to the tail of a drake pintail.
V-boards: A style of floating silhouette decoys to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Flyway.
Are there phrases or other definitions you have in your part of the country we should add to the list? Are there others that you and hunting friends hear around the marshes and timber? Certainly share them with us!
Banded: In reference to a metallic band around a migratory bird's leg with alpha-numeric codes. Placed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service or research groups for tracking and data gathering of populations. Neck collars and radio telemetry 'backpacks’ are other methods of ‘banding’ for research.
Blackhead: Drake Bluebill
Cotton Top/Bald Pate: Drake American Wigeon
Dark Geese: In reference to Canada geese.
Divers: Refers to the group of diving duck species such as: canvasbacks, redheads, bluebills, bufflehead, & ruddy ducks.
Drake: Male duck. Sometimes the term ‘bull’ in place of; such as a ‘bull pintail’ or ‘bull canvasback’.
Feed call: Term of cadence in calling to ducks mimicking the feeding chuckle sound.
Flare: When birds are looking and interested in your decoys and then pull up and out. Typically due to a number of reasons ranging from motion decoys (they don’t always draw them in) or someone peering up from the blind with their face not concealed.
Flocking: Refers to the texture added to decoys, on full body and silhouette decoys, in order to add ‘life-like’ quality and reduce the glare from sunlight.
Flyway: Refers to the Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic migratory bird corridors to and from breeding grounds in the north, to wintering grounds in the south.
Fresh Birds: Birds that just migrated into the area; typically ahead of a cold front or temperature drop up north.
Full-bodies: Refers to three-dimensional decoys used in field hunting. ‘Floaters’ are floating full-body decoys.
Greenhead: Drake Mallard
Grass ducks: Grouping of shallow water puddle ducks including wigeon, pintails and teal.
Hen: Female duck
Highball: Term of cadence in calling to ducks at a distance.
Honker: Term for large Canada geese.
Humpback: In reference to generally all Browning A5s, but usually to the older Belgian made models.
Lawn darts: In reference to Mergansers for the sharp point of their bills.
Light Geese: In reference to all snow geese.
Locked Up: In reference to the bird or birds keyed on the decoys and calling that their wings are locked in preparation for landing. Also used as the term “cupped up” for the shape the wings make.
Puddlers: Refers to the group of puddle duck species such as: mallards, wigeon, shovelers, gadwall, wood ducks, pintail, black ducks, mottled ducks, Mexican ducks, green wing teal, blue wing teal, cinnamon teal.
Reverse Migration: In reference to birds migrating north in the Spring to the breeding grounds.
Sea Ducks: Refers to the group of sea duck species such as: common scoter, white wing scoter, asdf scoter, harlequin, old squaw/long-tails, and eiders.
Silhouettes: Refers to a cutout, two-dimensional style decoys commonly used in fields.
Specklebelly/Tarbelly: In reference to White-fronted geese.
Spread: Refers to the decoy set up. Also referred to as a decoy ‘rig’.
Spoonbill: Northern Shoveler
Sprig: Refers to the tail of a drake pintail.
V-boards: A style of floating silhouette decoys to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Flyway.
Are there phrases or other definitions you have in your part of the country we should add to the list? Are there others that you and hunting friends hear around the marshes and timber? Certainly share them with us!
About the Author : Shawn Swearingen
Visit authors website | View more articlesBorn and raised throughout the forests and farms of Oregon. The 9-5 work life led him to the D.C. area in 2008 a few short years after college at Oregon State. Writing about the outdoors is one of the ways he is able to cope with living in the suburbs of Northern Virginia. He is also callmaking, wingshooting, gardening, fishing, and introducing his two young sons with his wife to the great outdoors in hopes to do as well as his parents were able. He is a regular contributor for Split Reed and Mossy Oak, as well as being published by Free Range American, Tom Beckbe’s Field Journal and Dirtbag Magazine.
IG: @shawn_swearingen