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Is this a female American Wigeon or a Eurasian Wigeon

Posted: Nov 12 7:34 pm
by accordionboy
The bird in question is in the front. I ask this because of the slight green tinge on the eyebrow
I am also posting a snap of a Eurasian Wigeon below the first photo

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Known Eurasian Wigeon
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And are these both Male American Wigeons?
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Re: Is this a female American Wigeon or a Eurasian Wigeon

Posted: Nov 12 11:59 pm
by mcrosbie
The one with the faint green patch behind the eye is an American Wigeon. It appears that the duck at the back of the first photo is a male American wigeon and the one at the front is a female American wigeon. The two ducks with the distinct large green patches in the last photo you posted are male American Wigeons as you suggest.

Re: Is this a female American Wigeon or a Eurasian Wigeon

Posted: Nov 13 8:26 am
by northvanrob
The duck in the foreground with the green at the back of the eyes is an Eurasian Wigeon!

It's quite common to find Eurasian Wigeon's with a green splash behind the eyes, and it's not a hybrid!

Hybrids look more like the American Wigeon but instead of the green in the head it's a brown streak.

Re: Is this a female American Wigeon or a Eurasian Wigeon

Posted: Nov 13 8:01 pm
by mcrosbie
That is what I posted at first, but looking hard at photos on a Google search and at the Roger Tory Peterson and Audubon books, I changed it to American wigeon.

Re: Is this a female American Wigeon or a Eurasian Wigeon

Posted: Dec 01 9:13 pm
by therobwalker
American shouldn't have that cinnamon colour, so Eurasian would be my call, other than the fact I don't have much experience with hybrids.