Redhead

Aythya americana

Pato Cabecirrojo

 

 

 
Male - Photo: G. Beaton

 

The male has a bright red head and a black breast. The female is a dull brown duck, but both sexes have a rounder head than the Canvasback and a bluish bill with a black tip (all black bill in both sexes of the Canvasback). The similar female Ring-necked Duck has a more prominent white eye ring, and a more peaked head silhouette. Length: 44-54 cm.; weight: 630-1,500 g. Breeds in western North America and winters in southern North America, Mexico and Guatemala. Rare in winter in the Bahamas and accidental on Hispaniola, but may occur in Puerto Rico in the future.

TAXONOMY: ANSERIFORMES; ANATIDAE; Anatinae

 
   
 
Male - Photo: G. Beaton
 

 

 
Female - Photo: G. Beaton
 

References

Bent, A.C. 1923. Life histories of North American wild fowl, part I. Smithsonian Instit. U.S. National Museum Bull. 126. (Reprinted by Dover Press, NY, 1962).

del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott, and J. Sargatal, eds. 1992. Handbook of Birds of the World, Vol. 1. Ostrich to ducks. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.

Ehrlich, P.R., D.S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The birderÆs handbook: a field guide to the natural history of North American birds. Simon and Schuster/Fireside, NY.

Madge, S. and H. Burn. 1988. Wildfowl: an identification guide to the ducks, geese, and swans of the world. C. Helm, London.

Woodin, M. C., and T. C. Michot. 2002. Redhead (Aythya americana). In The Birds of North America, No. 695 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

Redhead, Spanish text

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