Monday 24 October 2011

American Wigeon (Anas americana)

OTHER NAMES: American Widgeon, Baldpate
Latin Etymology: Anas ("duck") americana ("American")

Adult female or male in eclipse plumage American Wigeon (Anas Americanaat Anchorage, Alaska - August 2024

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 500-1300g  /  Length: 42-59cm  /  Wingspan: 76-91cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The American Wigeon is as the name suggests, the North American equivelant of the Eurasian Wigeon. The male is a fairly attractive bird with a yellow head with a striking green mask which covers each eye and runs down the back of the neck. They are fairly regular vagrants to Europe, where I saw my first individual, though as the name suggests, their resident range is North America.

Related Species:
Order:
Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anas
Subspecies: none - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - A rare vagrant from North America.
 - A single bird seen at Rutland Water in October 2011 associating with a number of Eurasian Wigeon

UNITED STATES - Breeds in Alaska and North West Lower 48, Winters in South and most of the Coast
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Alaska

Further Notes: BirdForum OpusIUCN Red ListRSPBWikipedia, Xeno-canto

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