American Wigeon
Tyler Vandermartin
MALES:
- Male American Wigeon's have a white patch from the forehead to the middle of their crown.
- They have a green stripe that goes over the eye the back of the head.
FEMALES
- Female American Wigeon's have a grey head with a brownish-black crown with a brownish-black chest and sides.
- Their feet can either be blue-grey or dark grey.
Breeding
American wigeons nest farther north than any other dabbling duck, except the northern pintail. Throughout northern Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, Alaska and the Northwest Territories is where they breed. They prefer shallow lakes and marshy sloughs. They like when they are surrounded by dry sedge-lined meadows and contain submergent vegetation. The females lay about 9 eggs.
Migrating & Wintering
They are among the earliest waterfowl to reach their wintering grounds. . Their habitats during the winter include ponds, lakes and saline and brackish marshes with abundant aquatic vegetation. They also enjoy wetlands and meadows. They visit Central America, the Caribbean, northern Colombia, Trinidad and occasionally Venezuela during the winter.