BIRDS OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 



WOOD DUCK (Aix sponsa): 17-20 

 in. Feathers on top of head green, ex- 

 tending into crest of violet; sides of head 

 black with two white lines, one above, 

 other behind eye; throat ivhite; wings 

 mottled with black, white, and purple; 

 fan-shaped tail; breast chestnut; under 

 parts generally white; reddish area 

 across base of bill. Female: Top of 

 head dark; face brownish; white ring 

 around eye extending backward; throat 

 and belly white; breast brownish, mot- 

 tled with lighter; rear edge of wing in 

 region of secondary feathers white, as 

 in male. Faltering, often noisy in flight; 

 takes wing abruptly ; may move head 

 about while flying. Commonly feeds on 

 acorns. Nests in tree cavities. 



Frequents slowly flowing rivers, 

 sloughs, and ponds of fresh water, es- 

 pecially where bordered by deciduous 

 woods. R. principally in Sacramento 

 and San Joaquin Valleys. C. V. in Yo- 

 semite region. Seen at all months in 

 Yoscmite Valley, occasionally nesting 

 there. 



CANVAS-BACK DUCK (Aythya 

 valisineria): 20-24 in. Back and sides 

 nearly white: head and upper portion 

 of neck reddish-brown; long dark bill 

 forming with head a gently sloping pro- 

 file; tail and rear of back black; breast 

 black; remaining under parts white. 

 Female: Back and sides largely light 

 gray; head and neck light brown; ob- 

 scure light-colored streak back of eye; 

 throat whitish: breast dark brown; re- 

 maining under parts whitish. After tak- 

 ing oflf slowly, leaving wake behind, 

 travels with great speed. Long bill and 

 neck give bird front-heavy aspect. An 

 expert diver. 



Common W. V., chiefly along the 

 coast but also to larger inland bodies of 

 water. C. V. in Yosemite Valley. 



RISC-NECKED DUCK (Aythya 

 collaris): 16-18 in. Head and upper 

 neck purplish-black; back and breast 

 blackish : gray of sides and black breast 

 separated by curving white band ex- 

 tending some distance upward : belly 

 white; black area under tail; narrow 



band of white at base of slate-colored 

 bill with wider white band with bluish 

 tinge adjacent to black of tip; narrow 

 chestnut ring on neck sometimes visible; 

 broad gray stripe in wing, seen in flight. 

 Female: Generally brown; white eye- 

 ring; small area of white about base 

 of bill; bill similar to male but duller; 

 broad gray wing-stripe. 



C. V. to Merced River and Mirror 

 Lake in Yosemite Valley, December to 

 March. 



LESSER SCAUP (Aythya affinis): 

 15-18 in. Head, neck, breast, and an- 

 terior back black; head with purplish 

 reflections in bright light; central re- 

 gion of back white with faint, wavy 

 black lines; belly and sides white; black 

 area under tail ; white stripe along pos- 

 terior portion of wing essentially con- 

 fined to secondary feathers; bill bluish 

 with black tip: iris yellow. Female: 

 Head, neck, and breast brown: white 

 area about base of bill; below dull 

 white; wing-stripe as in male. 



On fresh or salt water, chiefly along 

 the coast in winter. C. V. to Yosemite 

 region. 



BARROWS GOLDEN -EYE (Bu- 

 cephala islandica) : 21-23 in. Head 

 glossy black with purplish iridescence; 

 white triangular or crescent-shaped spot 

 between eye and bill; back of neck 

 whif": middle of back and tail black; 



LESSER SCAUP / 



15-18 ,, \]}\ 



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