Bird Sightings : Hebrides : American Wigeon

American Wigeon

Anas americana

Photograph © Andy Robinson
Isle of Lewis - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)

• AKA: Widgeon, Baldpate
• Anas americana
• Scarce visitor, 6 UK annual records BTO
• Breeds North-West & Central America
• Winters: South USA to Northerly South America
• Duck: Adult male in breeding season: pinkish brown body, greenish eye patch, creamy white crown stripe,
• Gregarious outside of breeding season
• Habitat: lochs, marshes, wet meadows, on migration also rivers, estuaries
• Diet: Mostly grass, invertebrates ( seeds in summer)
• Similar bird: (wigeon cream-buff or orange crown)

John Burgis saw a drake American Wigeon in Fivepenny, Ness Isle of Lewis 5th November, 2007:

"Strange looking widgeon among large flockof widgeon feeding in flooded field at Fivepenny, late Monday afternoon....
Looked exactly same shape as the other widgeon, same beak shape and colours, fewer white feathers under body, tail shape and feathers were very similar.
Main difference was in its head colours. White stripe down top of head, followed by dark greyish greenish area down under its eye which then curved down towards back of neck with quite a prominent band.
The neck feathers under this band was a light grey colour.
Went to a birder up the road who also saw same bird. Thought is it a hybrid. We looked in our books and American Widgeon stood out. Internet photos confirmed exactly same bird.
By now too dark to try for photos".

John Burgis

 

 

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