Birding has become a big thing.

 According to an article in Chirp, birdwatching has become one of the most popular hobbies in the United States.  Millions of people are birdwatchers across the globe.  Some may see it as dull or boring, others will fly halfway around the world just to get a glimpse of a King Eider duck.

According to the article, in Canada, more time is spent "birding" than watching hockey.  Just kidding on that one, not quite that popular, but more popular than gardening.  Birdwatching is big money too, a multi-million dollar industry.

In North Dakota, several birding clubs exist, and nationally websites like ebird.org have people from all over the United States and the world logging on.

I myself am a self-proclaimed "bird nut." 

I've had a front-row seat on all the beautiful waterfowl we have in North Dakota being a hunter, but I also enjoy taking the binoculars out in the spring and watching ducks and geese in all their glory.

Now is a GREAT time to watch waterfowl and in particular ducks.

It's the mating season and the drakes are all decked out in their breeding plumage.  Females are either on the nest right now or getting ready to do so.

In fact, I love ducks so much, that I used to raise them.  When I lived in Grand Forks, I helped get an ordinance passed allowing "Non-traditional Livestock" within the city limits.  I was checked by the state and the city to make sure I was in compliance with all the rules.  Here's a look at my "captive-reared ducks."  Important to note, these were not wild birds.  That would be illegal.  They were bought from a breeder with all the proper paperwork required.  Here's a video of our pond and ducks.

Raising ducks is a lot of work, but sure a lot of fun and very rewarding.

Now, I do my duck watching when I'm hunting or in the springtime.  I decided to put together a gallery of "The Top 11 Most Stunning Ducks" you'll see in North Dakota.  Let's see if you agree with my picks.  Enjoy!

Top 11 Most Stunning Waterfowl in North Dakota

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