The Redhead Duck is my pick for Bird of the Month for December. The Redhead is a permanent resident of the Great Salt Lake Wetlands and is one of the most abundant waterfowl of the area. Redheads can be seen during the winter months and they also nest in the wetlands of the Great Salt Lake.
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| Male Redhead Duck is a beautiful duck, Chestnut red head, gold eyes, black breast and rump, gray wings, steel blue bill with a black tip. |
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| The Canvasback is similar in appearance to the Redhead with a chestnut red head, black breast and rump, but the Canvasback has red eyes a sloped forehead, slanted black bill and black face. The back of the Canvasback is much lighter canvas color than the gray back of the Redhead. |
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| Both Redheads and Canvasbacks are Diving Ducks. |
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| Redheads are parasitical nesters often laying their eggs in the nest of other ducks letting other species set the eggs and raise their young. |
A strikingly beautiful duck and one I am always excited to see, the Redhead is my choice of December 2011 Bird of the Month
1 comment:
I had no idea that Redheads were nest parasites. I did'nt know that any ducks were. Redheads are not common up here in Alaska. I've only seen them around here a handful of times.
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