Redhead Duck
Thanks John Oates for the correction in identifying this bird it's a new Lifer for me.
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
What3Words
///trailers.ripen.grownup
The redhead duck (Aythya americana) is a medium-sized, sociable North American diving duck known for the distinctive cinnamon-red head of the breeding male. They are a popular game bird and are unique for their high rates of brood parasitism, where females lay eggs in the nests of other ducks.
Key Features
Appearance:
Breeding males have a striking copper-red head and neck, a black breast and tail, and a gray body. They have a rounded head shape and a pale blue-gray bill with a black tip and yellow eyes. Females are a more uniform, plain brown with a similar bill coloration and brown eyes.
Size:
Redheads are about 16 to 22 inches (40–56 cm) long with a wingspan of roughly 30 inches (76 cm).
Habitat and Range:
They breed primarily in the Prairie Pothole Region of the north-central United States and south-central Canada. In winter, they migrate south, gathering in large flocks (called "rafts") in coastal marshes, bays, and large inland lakes, especially the Laguna Madre along the Texas and Mexico Gulf Coast.
Diet:
They are omnivorous, primarily eating aquatic plants such as pondweeds, wild rice, and grasses. During the breeding season, females and ducklings consume more animal matter like aquatic insects, mollusks, and snails to meet protein needs.
Behavior:
Redheads are diving ducks, using their strong legs to forage underwater in shallow areas. They are highly social, often forming large mixed-species flocks with canvasbacks and scaup. In flight, they are fast with erratic, shallow wingbeats.
Unique Facts
Brood Parasitism:
Female redheads are notable for laying their eggs in the nests of other ducks (including canvasbacks, mallards, and northern pintails) and even other bird species like American bitterns and northern harriers. Some females lay eggs parasitically before raising their own clutch, while others are entirely parasitic.
Courtship:
Males perform elaborate courtship displays, including a "head throw" where they bend their neck nearly in half until their head touches their tail, accompanied by a distinctive, cat-like "mee-ow" call.
Vocalization:
Males make purring or meow-like calls, while females have a more typical quack or a soft "errrr" note.
The redhead population is currently considered a species of Least Concern by the IUCN due to conservation efforts and careful hunting management, though wetland loss remains an ongoing threat.
Redhead Duck
Thanks John Oates for the correction in identifying this bird it's a new Lifer for me.
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
What3Words
///trailers.ripen.grownup
The redhead duck (Aythya americana) is a medium-sized, sociable North American diving duck known for the distinctive cinnamon-red head of the breeding male. They are a popular game bird and are unique for their high rates of brood parasitism, where females lay eggs in the nests of other ducks.
Key Features
Appearance:
Breeding males have a striking copper-red head and neck, a black breast and tail, and a gray body. They have a rounded head shape and a pale blue-gray bill with a black tip and yellow eyes. Females are a more uniform, plain brown with a similar bill coloration and brown eyes.
Size:
Redheads are about 16 to 22 inches (40–56 cm) long with a wingspan of roughly 30 inches (76 cm).
Habitat and Range:
They breed primarily in the Prairie Pothole Region of the north-central United States and south-central Canada. In winter, they migrate south, gathering in large flocks (called "rafts") in coastal marshes, bays, and large inland lakes, especially the Laguna Madre along the Texas and Mexico Gulf Coast.
Diet:
They are omnivorous, primarily eating aquatic plants such as pondweeds, wild rice, and grasses. During the breeding season, females and ducklings consume more animal matter like aquatic insects, mollusks, and snails to meet protein needs.
Behavior:
Redheads are diving ducks, using their strong legs to forage underwater in shallow areas. They are highly social, often forming large mixed-species flocks with canvasbacks and scaup. In flight, they are fast with erratic, shallow wingbeats.
Unique Facts
Brood Parasitism:
Female redheads are notable for laying their eggs in the nests of other ducks (including canvasbacks, mallards, and northern pintails) and even other bird species like American bitterns and northern harriers. Some females lay eggs parasitically before raising their own clutch, while others are entirely parasitic.
Courtship:
Males perform elaborate courtship displays, including a "head throw" where they bend their neck nearly in half until their head touches their tail, accompanied by a distinctive, cat-like "mee-ow" call.
Vocalization:
Males make purring or meow-like calls, while females have a more typical quack or a soft "errrr" note.
The redhead population is currently considered a species of Least Concern by the IUCN due to conservation efforts and careful hunting management, though wetland loss remains an ongoing threat.