232 



BAY, SEA OR DIVING DUCKS 



IN FLIGHT. These ducks migrate 

 in V-shaped flocks but on their feeding 

 grounds they move in large flocks in ir- 

 regular formation. On the wing they ap- 

 pear shorter and darker than Canvas- 

 backs, the wings beat even more rapidly, 

 and the flight is more erratic. They rise 

 from the water in confused manner and 

 the flight always appears hurried. When 

 "rafting," the flock will suddenly "boil 

 up" and as quickly, resettle, without ap- 

 parent reason. Morning and evening 

 promenade flights, to and fro, for long 

 distances are undertaken. The recogni- 

 tion marks in flight are the same as 

 when on the water except that the white 

 breasts of both sexes are in evidence. 



VOICE. The male makes a mewing 

 sound like the mew of a large cat a deep- 

 toned me-ow, also a guttural purring or 

 rolling sound; in spring, but rarely in 

 autumn, the male utters a qua-qua. The 

 female, when rising from the water makes 

 a loud, clear squak, higher in tone than 

 the voice of the female Mallard, and dis- 

 tinctive in quality; also a growling sound, 

 r-r-r-r-wha, r-r-r-r-wha. The courtship voice 

 of the male is a drawn-out groaning call, 

 whee ough, in a high tone; that of the 

 female is quek, que-eek. 



LIFE STORY 



The Redhead, or American Pochard, is one of our finest and most 

 important game birds. In the Diving Duck group it ranks second only to 

 the Canvas-back, and that mainly because it is slightly smaller. It dif- 

 fers from the Common Pochard of the Old World in being somewhat 

 larger and more intensely coloured, and in lacking the black base of the 

 bill which is conspicuous in the European species. 



In North America the Redhead is a widely distributed and well 

 known duck and in its migrations is found from coast to coast, frequently 

 in association with the Canvas-back. It is decidedly a more southern 

 breeder than the Canvas-back; its main breeding range lies in central 

 Canada and the northern Central States. In its distribution the Red- 

 head is often most erratic; it will be abundant for a long time in certain 

 areas, then completely absent from these haunts for an equal period, 

 only to return later in great abundance. Perhaps no species has de- 

 creased more alarmingly in the last twenty years, probably due to the 

 fact that its breeding area is well within the bounds of civilization, and 

 progressive reclamation projects, settlement, and agricultural operations 



