# American Wigeon (*Mareca americana*) The American Wigeon is a beautiful duck known for its colorful feathers. They love to swim in lakes and ponds, making them fun to watch as they dive for food. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 17 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![American Wigeon](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Anas-americana-004.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mdf, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anas-americana-004.jpg) ## Appearance The American Wigeon is a medium-sized dabbling duck recognized by the male's striking white crown and iridescent green patch behind its eye. Both sexes have a bluish-grey bill with a black tip and a white belly. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Mareca ## Interesting facts - Males have a bright white "cap" on their head, making them look super unique! - Their "whee-WOO-whew" whistle call is so unique, you'll know it immediately! - They often hang out with other duck species, sometimes even sharing food spots! - Wigeon ducklings can swim and find their own food just hours after hatching! ## Special abilities - **Grass Grazer:** American Wigeon can graze on land like a goose, using its strong bill to clip vegetation and find food. - **Food Snatcher:** American Wigeon can "steal" plants from diving ducks, saving energy by not having to dive for their own food. - **Surface Skimmer:** American Wigeon has a specialized bill to efficiently skim aquatic plants and tiny insects from the water's surface. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 42-59 cm - **Wingspan:** 76-91 cm - **Weight:** 0.7-1.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-18 years - **Speed:** 80 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 6-12 - **Incubation:** 23-26 days - **Migration Distance:** 4000 km ## Diet & Feeding This duck mostly enjoys eating plants, but will occasionally snack on small insects. - **Primary Foods:** aquatic plants, grasses, seeds, clover, small insects - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Hawks are common predators of adult ducks. - **Eats:** Pondweed (*Potamogeton spp.*) — A primary aquatic plant food source for wigeons. - **Eats:** [Widgeongrass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/widgeongrass) (*Ruppia maritima*) — They actively seek out and consume this brackish grass. - **Eaten by:** [Red Fox](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-fox) (*Vulpes vulpes*) — Foxes prey on wigeon eggs and ducklings. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify American Wigeon? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is American Wigeon? 42-59 cm ### What is American Wigeon's wingspan? 76-91 cm ### How much does American Wigeon weigh? 0.7-1.3 kg ### How long does American Wigeon live? 5-18 years ### How fast can American Wigeon move? 80 km/h ### What does American Wigeon eat? This duck mostly enjoys eating plants, but will occasionally snack on small insects. ### Where is American Wigeon usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [Blake Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blake-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bolsa-chica-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Desert Garden Conservatory](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/desert-garden-conservatory) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [Eden Landing Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/eden-landing-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Illinois Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/illinois-street-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District - [Jackson Lake Lodge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-lake-lodge) — Wyoming, US · Historic Site [View all places to see American Wigeon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/american-wigeon) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [American Wigeon: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-wigeon)