Geese, Ducks, Mergansers

Redhead, Aythya americana

Family Anatidae (Geese, Ducks, Mergansers)

Size: 19"

Season: Fall–spring

Habitat: Shallow lakes, marshes

The redhead is a heavy-bodied diving duck with a steep forehead and a large, rounded head. The breeding male is pale gray, with a dark rear end and breast. The head is light rusty brown, the eye is yellow, and the bill is bluish with a black tip. The female is brownish gray overall with pale areas at the base of the bill and throat. In both sexes the upper side of the wing has white flight feathers and dark-gray coverts. These birds run across the water to become airborne. They forage by diving for aquatic plants and invertebrate and may form huge floating “rafts” during the winter. Redheads are similar in pattern to the larger canvasbacks. The breeding female (top) and breeding male (bottom) are illustrated.