or small groups may also be observed. The species Is much less common here than 

 in North Carolina and only a very few birds were seen on the 1975 waterfowl sur- 

 vey (Goldsberry et al. 1980). Redheads are generally present in the state from 

 late October to late March (Sprunt and Chamberlain 1949). 



Georgia Denton et al. (1977) regarded the Redhead as an uncommon winter 

 resident on the coast; it is a rare winter resident inland. Data given by Bell- 

 rose (1976) from winter waterfowl surveys support this status. Dates of occur- 

 rence are from 28 October (LeGrand 1979a) to 29 April (Denton et al. 1977). 

 Usually only small flocks or individuals are seen, in fresh or salt water (Bur- 

 leigh 1958). 



Florida The Redhead is locally abundant as a winter resident in Florida. 

 The Gulf coast of Florida harbors the second largest wintering population in 

 the United States. The January 1975 waterfowl survey recorded 91,000 birds for 

 the state (Goldsberry et al. 1980); it should be remembered that these counts 

 often underestimate the actual number present. 



Florida - Atlantic Coast Sprunt (1954) considered the Redhead an 

 uncommon winter visitor in northern Florida, perhaps more abundant in former 

 times. However, he reported it as far south as the Lake Okeechobee area. Kale 

 (1979 ms a) considered it uncommon on most of the coast but abundant at Merritt 

 Island MR, where 1,000 to 16,000 birds winter. Bellrose (1976) indicated that 

 Cape Canaveral had the second largest concentration (15,000 birds) along the 

 Atlantic coast. 



Florida - Gulf Coast St. Marks NWR is the most important wintering 

 area of the Redhead in this part of Florida. This species is the most abundant 

 wintering duck on the refuge, but it is uncommon elsewhere and rare south of 

 Tampa Bay (Kale 1979 ms b) . Redheads occur in Florida from early November to 

 (exceptionally) late June and July (Howell 1932; Sprunt 1954; Ogden 1970, 1973); 

 exceptionally early birds have been seen on 26 September (St. Marks Light) 

 (Edscorn 1979). 



Bellrose (1976) gave figures of 15,000 wintering in the Florida panhandle, 

 and 50,000 at Apalachee Bay. An unusually large concentration of 56,000 birds 

 was seen along the coast west of Gainesville in January 1975 (Goldsberry et al. 

 1980), and about 60,000 were seen near St. Marks Light on 21 November 1978 

 (Edscorn 1979). 



Alabama Imhof (1976b) noted that Redheads are uncommon in winter and on 

 migration in most of the state, but may be locally abundant on the Gulf coast. 

 These ducks are found on deep lakes, rivers, and bays in fresh, brackish, and 

 salt water. Along the Gulf coast, Redheads have been recorded from 26 September 

 to 19 May; a maximum concentration of 3,000 was reported from Mississippi Sound, 

 19 January 1956 (Imhof 1976b). Bellrose (1976) reported an average of 700 Red- 

 heads wintering in Mobile Bay; the 1975 winter survey reported 200 (Goldsberry 

 et al. 1980). 



Mississippi Burleigh (1944) had few records of Redheads from coastal Mis- 

 sissippi, and these were mostly of single birds. Dates of occurrence were from 

 mid-October to mid-March. Bellrose (1976) reported up to 20,000 off the west- 



271 



