How do you identify wigeon?
The body is pale cinnamon with white patches on the sides of the rump that contrast with the black undertail feathers. In flight, note the white patch on the upperwing and a green patch on the secondaries. Females and nonbreeding males are warm brown with a brownish gray head and a dark smudge around the eye.
What does a Eurasian wigeon look like?
An adult male in breeding plumage has a bright rufous-brown head, buffy-cream forecrown, gray body, black undertail, and in the wing a dark green speculum and white patch. Adult females are mostly brown with rufous flanks and white belly. Some females have a rufous-brown head, neck and chest.
How rare is a Eurasian wigeon?
Eurasian Wigeons are scarce in North America but widespread and relatively common across the Old World. Partners in Flight estimates a worldwide breeding population of 2 million and rates the species a 9 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating a species of low conservation concern.
What is the size of the American Wigeon?
In silhouette, the wigeon can be distinguished from other dabblers by its round head, short neck, and small bill. It is 42–59 cm (17–23 in) long, with a 76–91 cm (30–36 in) wingspan and a weight of 512–1,330 g (1.129–2.932 lb).
How do you know when a wigeon is mature?
Adult males have a large white upperwing patch, long acutely pointed tertials with black outerwebs, and gray greater tertial coverts that are somewhat pointed and narrowly white-edged. Adult females have a sharply defined white edging on both greater and middle tertial coverts.
Where is Eurasian Wigeon from?
Eurasian wigeons breed from Iceland, the British Isles, and Scandinavia east to eastern Siberia and Kamchatka, and south to northern Europe, central Russia and northern China. There are no breeding records of Eurasian wigeons in North America.
Where are Eurasian Wigeon found?
Marshes, lakes, bays, fields. In winter in North America often on marshy ponds with open ground nearby, or in flooded fields; also on shallow coastal estuaries and sheltered bays. Presence of American Wigeon is best key to good habitat for Eurasian Wigeon.
Where are Eurasian wigeons from?
Eurasian Wigeons seen each year in eastern North America likely come from Iceland, as evidenced by birds banded in Iceland being recovered by hunters in northeastern Canada. In western North America, they may come from eastern Asia, particularly easternmost Russia.
How do Eurasian wigeons find food?
Eurasian Wigeons forage in flocks for most of the year, finding food by dabbling at the water’s surface or “tipping up,” submerging the head and neck to reach food underwater. They are often in mixed flocks with American Wigeons and other dabbling duck species.
What kind of Bill does a wigeon have?
All have a black-tipped, blue-gray bill. Eurasian Wigeons forage in flocks for most of the year, finding food by dabbling at the water’s surface or “tipping up,” submerging the head and neck to reach food underwater. They are often in mixed flocks with American Wigeons and other dabbling duck species.
What does a juvenile wigeon look like?
Juveniles resemble females; young males gradually acquire a gray body and head pattern. All have a black-tipped, blue-gray bill. Eurasian Wigeons forage in flocks for most of the year, finding food by dabbling at the water’s surface or “tipping up,” submerging the head and neck to reach food underwater.