American Wigeon

Description:

The wigeons are dabbling ducks in the genus Anas. There are three extant species: the Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope), the American Wigeon (A. americana) and the Chiloé Wigeon (A. sibilatrix). A fourth species, the Amsterdam Island Duck (Anas marecula), is believed to have become extinct around 1800.Widgeon is an alternative, though archaic, spelling; the American Wigeon has in the past been known as the Baldpate. All three are similarly shaped, with a steep forehead and bulbous rear to the head. Males have a distinctive breeding plumage, in their eclipse plumage they resemble females, which are similar in appearance year-round. The three species' closest relatives within the genus Anas are the Gadwall and the Falcated Duck. All three wigeon species hybridise in captivity, and American and Eurasian Wigeons hybridise in the wild. An American Wigeon × Mallard hybrid has also been recorded.