American Wigeon – Length 20 inches, wing span 32 inches
The American Wigeon is a dabbling duck about the size of a Mallard. It has a bluish bill but the sleeping wigeons below seem to be hiding that fact.
Once threatened by widespread and protracted drought, the American Wigeon population has since increased due to habitat conservation and improved rainfall in its prairie breeding areas. While the mean lifespan for an American Wigeon is only about two years, individuals as old as 21 years have been recorded from banding studies.
American Wigeons are excellent swimmers, and can take flight from water almost instantly without a running start. Males are often aggressive during pair formation in late winter and spring. During the breeding season pairs will occupy either a whole pond or a portion of a larger pond.
Males have pinkish sides, a pointed, black tail and blue bill with dark tip. The head is marked with a broad green area behind the eye and a white forehead. The white forehead gives it a widely used common name of “Baldpate.” Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Females have pinkish to rusty sides, a dark tipped bill and dark area around the eye. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
This photo shows the dark mark behind the eye, variable in size and shape. Photograph © Elaine Wilson.
Male American Wigeon. Note the very fine markings on the feathers on the back. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
The green speculum is just visible on this female. Rusty sides clearly visible. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Female American Wigeon. Note the contrast in color between the head/neck and the breast. Photograph © Elaine Wilson.
Preening male. Preening helps keep the feathers water-tight. Photograph © Elaine Wilson.
Standing male wigeon. The black tail and white of the upper wing coverts are clearly visible. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Two pair. The green on the head of the male can appear black, depending on the light and angle of view. Photograph © Steve Wolfe.
The broad green mark behind the eye can appear brown, as on this photo, or black, depending on the lighting. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Ducks will often exercise their wings before flight. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Under wing linings are pale. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
The white upper wing coverts are easily visible when the wigeon is in flight. The wing patch is grayer on females and immature wigeons. The speculum is green but not as bright as on the Green-winged Teal. Photograph © Glenn Bartley.
Note the colors and shape of the tail. Photograph © Alan Wilson.
Female, left. Male, right. Write your own caption.
Eurasian Wigeon
A rare but regular winter visitor to the east and west coast is the Eurasian Wigeon. Adult males, shown below, have a reddish head. Juveniles and females are much less strongly marked. Look for a wigeon with a long white wing bar on gray sides and you might have a Eurasian Wigeon.
