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American Wigeon Identification

Pair of American Wigeons

 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.

 

Male American Wigeon

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.

Female American Wigeon

Females have pinkish to rusty sides, a dark tipped bill and dark area around the eye. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

American Wigeon, side view

This photo shows the dark mark behind the eye, variable in size and shape. Photograph © Elaine Wilson.

American Wigeon, side view

Male American Wigeon. Note the very fine markings on the feathers on the back. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

American wigeon female

The green speculum is just visible on this female. Rusty sides clearly visible. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

American Wigeon, side view

Female American Wigeon. Note the contrast in color between the head/neck and the breast. Photograph © Elaine Wilson.

American Wigeon

Preening male. Preening helps keep the feathers water-tight. Photograph © Elaine Wilson.

American Wigeon

Standing male wigeon. The black tail and white of the upper wing coverts are clearly visible. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

American Wigeon

Two pair.  The green on the head of the male can appear black, depending on the light and angle of view. Photograph © Steve Wolfe.

American Wigeon in flight

The broad green mark behind the eye can appear brown, as on this photo, or black, depending on the lighting. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

American Wigeon, side view

Ducks will often exercise their wings before flight. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

American Wigeon in flight

Under wing linings are pale. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

American Wigeon in flight

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.

American Wigeon in flight

Note the colors and shape of the tail. Photograph © Alan Wilson.

Pair of American Wigeons

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.

Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon

 

 

About the Author

Sam Crowe

Sam is the founder of Birdzilla.com. He has been birding for over 30 years and has a world list of over 2000 species. He has served as treasurer of the Texas Ornithological Society, Sanctuary Chair of Dallas Audubon, Editor of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's "All About Birds" web site and as a contributing editor for Birding Business magazine. Many of his photographs and videos can be found on the site.

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