86 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



BALDPATE (Mareca americana). 



Common or local names: American Widgeon; Widgeon; Southern Widgeon; Cali- 

 fornia Widgeon ; White-belly. 



s-^^jif^ iL. ----_- -_ 



Female. 



Male. 



Length. — 18 to 21 inches. 



Adult Male. — Forehead and top of head white; sides of head and neck- 

 less purely white or more bufly, speckled with lusterless dusky green- 

 ish; a broad glossy green patch extending from around eye back to 

 nape; chin dusky; upper hind neck and back mainly pale brown or 

 reddish, finely pencilled with black cross lines; fore wing with a broad 

 white patch, bordered behind with a black band, and a metallic green 

 speculum, which darkens behind; fore neck, upper breast and sides 

 light brownish, red or wine red; rest of under parts white; primary 

 wing quills and tail gray; feet light slaty bluish; bill grayish blue, with 

 black tip and black edges; iris brown. 



Female and Immature Male. — Top of head l)lackish; rest of head and neck 

 whitish, spotted with dusky; back buff, barred with dusky; speculum 

 mainly black; indications of white patch on fore wing, forming a white 

 or whitish bar; breast and sides reddish brown, with dusky spots on 

 the breast; rest of under parts white; bill and feet like male, but duller. 

 There is considerable variation in all plumages of this bird. 



Field Marks. — The adult male Baldpate may be distinguished by his pale 

 neck and head, the latter becoming almost white on the forehead and 

 crown, by the dark green patch through and behind the eye, by his 

 wine-colored breast and white abdomen. The females and young. 



