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AMERICAN WIDGEON
 BIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AMERICAN WIDGEON
TAXONOMY
KINGDOM: ANIMALIA
PHYLUM: CHORDATA
SUBPHYLUM: VERTEBRATA
CLASS: BIRDS
ORDER: ANSERIFORMES
FAMILY: ANATIDAE
GENUS: Anas
SPECIES: americana
IT MEASURES FROM 46 TO 58 cm. THE MALE IS LIGHT BROWN WITH GREEN PATCHES IN THE EARS AND WHITE SPOTS IN THE SUPERIOR PART OF THE WINGS, EASILY SEEN WHEN FLYING. THE FEMALE IS SPOTTED BROWN WITH A GRAY HEAD AND THE SAME WHITE SPOTS IN THE WINGS. THEY BOTH HAVE A BLUE PEAK.
THEY LAY FROM 9 TO 11 WHITE-CREME COLOR EGGS IN NESTS MADE OF STRAW OR GRASS A HUNDRED METERS FROM THE WATER. INCUBATION TIME IS OF 23 TO 25 DAYS.
THESE DUCKS ARE COMPLETELY FEATHERED AT THEIR 37 TO 48 DAYS OLD.
THEY LIVE IN MOIST SOILS AND OPEN WATERS. THEY DISTRIBUTE FROM ALASKA AND NORTHEAST MANITOBA TO NEVADA, DAKOTA AND THE GREAT LAKES. DURING THE WINTER THEY DISTRIBUTE ACROSS THE PACIFIC AND THE GULF OF MEXICO.
THEY ARE ABUNDANT IN THE STUDY REGION.
THEY GENERALLY EAT GRAINS FROM AGRICULTURAL BUT THEY CAN ALSO FEED ON AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES.
THIS SPECIES EMIGRATES FROM THEIR WINTER SITES BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND APRIL. IN THE WINTER THEY CAN EMIGRATE FROM SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER. (GOUGH, 1998)
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COMMON NAME: AMERICAN WIDGEON
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Anas americana
TYPE OF GAIN: Cinegetic
TYPE OF MARKING: HUNTING LICENSE
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CHRONOLOGY OF THE AMERICAN WIDGEON
MONTHS
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ACTIVITY
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J
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F
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M
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A
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M
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J
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J
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A
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S
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O
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N
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D
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SPRING MIGRATION
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X
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X
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COURTSHIP
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X
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X
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X
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X
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X
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NESTING
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X
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X
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X
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WINTER MIGRATION
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X
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X
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X
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X
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