Identification Tips:
Length: 14.5 inches Wingspan: 33 inches
Medium-sized diving duck
Smoothly rounded head
Dark wing with grayish secondaries
Immature female similar to adult female, immature male is similar to female in autumn, but acquires alternate plumage during winter
Adult male alternate:
Alternate plumage worn from fall through early summer
Eclipse-plumage male duller than in alternate plumage, especially about the breast
Blue bill with white ring before black tip
Yellow eyes
Reddish head and neck
Black breast
Grayish back and flanks
Black tail, upper- and under-tail coverts
Whitish belly
Adult male basic:
Duller than in alternate plumage, especially about the breast and back
Adult female:
Brown eyes
Dark blue-gray bill with black tip
Brown head and body plumage
Whitish belly
Similar species:
Adult male Redhead in alternate plumage easily is distinguished from Canvasback by yellow eye, blue bill with black tip, gray back and different profile. Females distinguished from female Canvasback by brown body plumage and blue bill with black tip. Females can be distinguished from female Ring-necked Duck by smoothly rounded crown, dark cap and darker brown plumage.
Range coast to coast, with the largest numbers in the Central Flyway. Migratory flocks travel in V's; move in irregular formations over feeding areas. Often found associating with canvasback. In the air, they give the impression of always being in a hurry.
Usually spend the day in large rafts in deep water; feed morning and evening in shallower sections. Drakes purr and meow; hens have a loud squak, higher than a hen mallard's.
