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Bird name:

American Wigeon

Anas americanaOrder: ANSERIFORMES Family: Geese and Ducks (Anatidae)

Codes: Common Name: AMWI Scientific Name: ANAAME ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175094

Breeding Location:

Marshes, freshwater, Swamps

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Stable

Egg Color:

Creamy white

Number of Eggs:

6 - 12

Incubation Days:

22 - 25

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Grasses and weeds lined with down.

Migration:

Migratory

General

American Wigeon: Medium-sized dabbling duck with pale blue bill and white shoulder patches that are visible in flight. Male is brown with white crown, large green ear patch extending to back of head, buff washed breast and sides, and white belly. Female and juvenile are mottled brown with gray heads, brown breasts, and white bellies. Eclipse male resembles female but has small green ear patch.

Range and Habitat

American Wigeon: Breeds from Alaska, northern Manitoba and southern Quebec south to Nevada, the Dakotas, and the Great Lakes region, rarely farther east. Spends winters mainly along the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts. Marshes, ponds, and shallow lakes are preferred habitats.

Breeding and Nesting

American Wigeon: Six to twelve creamy white eggs are laid in a down-lined nest made of grass, often several hundred yards from water. Incubation ranges from 22 to 25 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

American Wigeon: Opportunistic and aggressive feeder, often foraging in open water by stealing materials brought to the surface by diving ducks and coots. Feeds primarily on leafy aquatic plants, grass, and agricultural crops; also takes insects and other aquatic invertebrates.

Vocalization

American Wigeon: Makes distinctive whistled call "whew-whee-whew"; also quacks.

Similar Species

American Wigeon: Eurasian Wigeon has rufous head, buff forehead and crown, and grayer sides and back.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

American Wigeon

American Wigeon: Medium dabbling duck, brown body with white crown, large green ear patch extending to back of head, buff washed breast and sides, and white belly. White shoulder patches visible in flight. Black-tipped pale blue bill. Swift direct flight, strong wing beats. Flies in tight flocks.

● Song: "whew, whew, whew"

● Foraging & Feeding: American Wigeon: Opportunistic and aggressive feeder, often foraging in open water by stealing materials brought to the surface by diving ducks and coots. Feeds primarily on leafy aquatic plants, grass, and agricultural crops; also takes insects and other aquatic invertebrates.

● Breeding & nesting: American Wigeon: Six to twelve creamy white eggs are laid in a down-lined nest made of grass, often several hundred yards from water. Incubation ranges from 22 to 25 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: American Wigeon: Eurasian Wigeon has rufous head, buff forehead and crown, and grayer sides and back.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight with strong wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: American Wigeon: Breeds from Alaska, northern Manitoba and southern Quebec south to Nevada, the Dakotas, and the Great Lakes region, rarely farther east. Spends winters mainly along the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts. Marshes, ponds, and shallow lakes are preferred habitats.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationStable

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight27.2 Ounces

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

Crown

The crown is the top part of the birds head.

Ear patch

Consists of soft, loose-webbed feathers on the side of the bird's head below and behind the eyes.

Shoulder

The short feathers overlying the median secondary coverts on the top of the wing. They are located near the back and can be seen as the “first row” of feathers on the birds wing. They are also called marginal coverts and lesser secondary coverts.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America

American Wigeon

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Nest Material:

Migration:

Recommended Products:

General

Range and Habitat

Breeding and Nesting

Foraging and Feeding

Vocalization

Similar Species

American Wigeon

Flight Pattern