| |
|
|
| |
| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
|
| COMMON
NAME: |
American
wigeon, baldpate |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Aves |
| ORDER: |
Anseriformes |
| FAMILY: |
Anatidae
|
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Anas
(duck) americana (America) |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| DESCRIPTION: |
American
wigeons are medium-sized ducks. They have
a white crown with a green post-ocular stripe and
gray on their lower face and neck. The breast
and flanks are rusty and the back is dark brown.
American wigeons also have a white patch on the
rear portion of the flanks and black under the tail
coverts |
|
| SIZE: |
Reaches
lengths of approximately 35cm (14 in.); wingspan
87cm (34 in.) |
|
| WEIGHT: |
Approximately
1.01 kg (2.25 lb.) |
|
| DIET: |
Seeds,
leaves, stems, buds of pondweeds, widgeon grass,
sedges, rice, snails, beetles, and crickets |
|
| INCUBATION: |
Approximately 22-24 days |
| CLUTCH
SIZE |
9-11
eggs |
| FLEDGING
DURATION |
45-48
days |
|
| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
About
1 year |
|
| LIFE
SPAN: |
Averages
9-10 years |
|
| RANGE: |
Found
in northern and central North America; winters in
coastal and southern North America and Central America |
|
| HABITAT: |
Marshes
and ponds |
|
| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
Unknown |
|
| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| 1. |
Wigeons
are known to let other ducks gather food for them
then steal it! They also tend to follow other migrating
ducks in order to get food! |
|
|
| 2. |
Wigeons are diving ducks, not dabbling ducks, and
will completely submerge themselves to chase food. |
|
|
| 3. |
These ducks alert their fellow ducks of danger by
alarm quacks and rattling their wings. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| These
birds are a food source for predators and also help
maintain plant growth. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| Austin,
G. Birds of the World. New York. Golden Press,
Inc., 1961. |
|
|
Gotch, A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained.
UK. Blandford Books Ltd., 1981. |
|
|
Johnsgard, P. Ducks, Geese, and Swans of the
World. Lincoln. Univ. Of Neb. Press, 1978.
|
|
| Scott,
P. A Coloured Key of the Wildfowl of the World.
Slimbridge, England. The Wildfowl Trust. 1988. |
|
| Todd,
F.S. Natural History of Waterfowl. San Diego,
Ca. Ibis Publishing Co., 1996. |
|
|
|
|
|
