56 DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 



resting place for the ducks, but as you walk through the woods in 

 spring a pair will often fly from a branch overhead, uttering their 

 shrill, plaintive cry as they dart through the trees. 



The nest is sometimes placed in the old excavation of a pileated 

 woodpecker, but usually in a natural cavity. A mass of gray down 

 from the mother's breast generally protects the eggs. The parents 

 are said to carry the young in their bills from the nest to the nearest 

 water, but in some cases, whether accidentally or not, the young 

 tumble to the ground. In autumn the families gather into large 

 flocks to fatten on wild rice and acorns. When fat the flesh is 

 scarcely excelled by that of any duck. They are becoming scarce, 

 and unless protected will before long be a bird of- the past. 



GENUS AYTHYA. 



General Characters. — Head not crested, but short, thick, and rounded ; 

 tail short and rigid ; wing with white or bluish speculum. 



KEY TO ADULT MALES. 



1. Head and neck bright brown. 



2. Crown dusky vallisneria, p. 57. 



2'. Crown reddish brown americana, p. 56. 



1'. Head and neck greenish or purplish black. 



2. Head glossed with green luarila, p. 57. 



2'. Head glossed with purple. 



o. Neck without chestnut collar affinis, p. 58. 



3'. Neck with dark chestnut collar collaris, p. 59. 



146. Aythya americana {Eyt.). Redhead. 



Bill little more than twice as long as wide. Adult male : whole head 



and neck bright reddish 

 chestnut ; shoulders and 

 chest black ; belly white ; 

 sides and back uniform 

 gray, with fine lines of black 

 and ashy ; tail and feathers 

 around base black. Adult 

 female : plumage dull gray- 

 ish brown except for whit- 

 ish chin, throat, and belly. 

 Length: 17-21, wing 8.50- 

 0.25, bill 2.05-2.25, width 

 of bill .75-.85. 



Distribution. — Nearly the 

 whole of North America, 

 breeding from California, 

 Missouri, and Maine, north- 

 ward. Not reported from 

 Fig. 72. Alaska. 



Nest. — On marshy or 

 grassy ground near water, loosely constructed of grass and weeds, and lined 

 with down. Eggs : 7 to 10, grayish white or pale olive. 



