Redhead Duck

• Scientific name: Aythya americana

• Type: Diving duck

• Family: Pochards (same group as canvasbacks, bluebills, ringnecks)

 Identification

• Drake (male):

  • Rich reddish-chestnut head

  • Gray body with fine vermiculation

  • Black chest and tail

  • Blue-gray bill with a black tip

• Hen (female):

  • Brownish overall

  • Paler face with a subtle light eye ring

  • Grayish bill with dark tip

At a distance, drakes can get confused with canvasbacks—but redheads have a rounder head (not the sloped wedge look).

Range & Habitat

• Breeding: Prairie pothole region (Dakotas, Prairie Canada)

• Migration: Central & Mississippi flyways

• Wintering:

  • Southern U.S.

  • Gulf Coast

  • Chesapeake Bay

  • California and Mexico

They love:

• Shallow lakes

• Marshes with submerged vegetation

• Coastal bays in winter

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