# Canvasback (*Aythya valisineria*) The Canvasback is a beautiful duck with a striking red head and a sharp black chest. They love to swim in lakes and ponds, diving for tasty plants and small fish. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Canvasback](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Aythya_valisineria_at_Las_Gallinas_Wildlife_Ponds.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aythya_valisineria_at_Las_Gallinas_Wildlife_Ponds.jpg) ## Appearance The Canvasback has a distinctive long, sloping profile from its crown to its bill, making its head look wedge-shaped. Males boast a reddish-brown head and neck, a black chest, and a bright white body patterned with fine lines, resembling a canvas fabric. Females are a duller brownish-gray with a less vibrant reddish head. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Anseriformes - **Family:** Anatidae - **Genus:** Aythya ## Interesting facts - Canvasbacks have special glands that help them filter salt from brackish water! - Female Canvasbacks sometimes lay their eggs in the nests of other duck species! - The Canvasback's scientific name, \*valisineria\*, comes from its favorite food: wild celery! - They are among the largest and heaviest diving ducks in North America! ## Special abilities - **Deep Dive Dynamo:** Canvasback can dive over 6 meters deep because of its strong legs and webbed feet that help it propel underwater. - **Speedy Sky Soarer:** Canvasback has powerful wings that help them fly incredibly fast, reaching speeds of up to 110 km/h during migration. - **Submerged Plant Grazer:** Canvasback has a specialized bill and neck that help it reach and pull up tasty aquatic plants from the bottom of lakes. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 48-56 cm - **Wingspan:** 79-89 cm - **Weight:** 0.86-1.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 110 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 5-11 - **Incubation:** 24-29 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding Canvasbacks mostly feast on yummy aquatic plants like wild celery, but also enjoy some insects and mollusks. - **Primary Foods:** wild celery, pondweeds, aquatic insects, mollusks, seeds - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Wild Celery (*Vallisneria americana*) — Primary food source, particularly the roots and tubers. - **Parasitizes:** [Redhead](https://www.snappit.app/explore/redhead) (*Aythya americana*) — Canvasbacks sometimes lay their eggs in Redhead nests. - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Adult Canvasbacks can be prey for large raptors. - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Preys on Canvasback eggs and ducklings near the nesting grounds. ## 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. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [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. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [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 ducks from a distance and never feed them bread. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Canvasback? 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 Canvasback? 48-56 cm ### What is Canvasback's wingspan? 79-89 cm ### How much does Canvasback weigh? 0.86-1.6 kg ### How long does Canvasback live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Canvasback move? 110 km/h ### What does Canvasback eat? Canvasbacks mostly feast on yummy aquatic plants like wild celery, but also enjoy some insects and mollusks. ### Where is Canvasback usually found? Wetlands ## Where to spot - [The Seas with Nemo & Friends](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/the-seas-with-nemo-and-friends-florida) — Florida, US · Zoo - [Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bill-burton-fishing-pier-state-park) — Maryland, US · State Park ## 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: [Canvasback: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canvasback)