THE AMERICAN WIDGEON. 771 
ONE of our best-known ducks is the Baldpate, much more commonly 
called the American Widgeon. During fall, winter, and spring it is the most 
numerous of all ducks in Washington, save possibly the Bluebills and Scoters. 
Large numbers of them congregate upon the tide flats of Puget Sound, and 
the bird is abundant also on the interior waters. Constant persecution, how- 
ever, has greatly reduced their ranks, as is the case with the entire duck family, 
and possibly for this reason their migratory habits have undergone a marked 
change. Eight or ten years ago they used to appear in enormous flocks during 
the first week in October, at which period I have seen on the Nisqually Flats, 
near Tacoma, 
what was es- 
timated at 
about five 
hundred 
thousand, all 
in the air at 
one time. For 
the past two 
Onin det exe 
years, how- 
CVCirs We 
Widgeon to 
speak of have 
appeared be- 
fore Novem- 
ber or De- 
cember, and 
then in such 
greatly re- 
Taken in Spokane County. Photo by the Author. 
duced = num- SILVER LAKE, A WELL-KNOWN DUCK SWAMP. 
bers as to 
give rise to serious fear, not only as to the abundance, but as to the existence 
of future generations. 
Almost strictly vegetarian as to diet their food in fall and winter consists 
of seeds, water-weeds, soft roots, and an occasional insect, thus making them 
more desirable as table birds than the average duck. In late January and 
February, however, they confine their feeding largely to the water-soaked 
fields, digging up the young grass with their bills and eating roots and all. 
At this season they are, with the single exception of the Pintail, perhaps the 
most deliciously flavored of our Washington ducks. 
Widgeon are prime favorites with every sportsman, largely because they 
are so willing to come in and visit a few well-placed wooden decoys. So 
