AMERICAN WIDGEON 
ANAS AMERICANA Gmelin 
(Plate 29; Plate 30) 
Synonymy 
Anas americana Gmelin, Linne’s Systema Naturae, ed. 13, vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 526, 1788. 
Anas wigeon Bonnaterre, Encyclop. Methodique, vol. 1, p. 129, pi. 33, fig. 4, 1790. 
Mareca americana Stephens, General Zool., vol. 12, pt. 2, p. 135, 1824. 
Marica americana Swainson, Classification of Birds, vol. 2, p. 366, 1837. 
Chaulelasmus americanus Lichtenstein, Nomenclator Avium Mus. Berol.,p. 102,1854. 
Mareca penelope americana, Blasius, List Birds Europe, p. 21, 1862. 
Vernacular Names 
English: American Widgeon, Baldpate, Poacher, Wheat Duck, Bald Crown, Bald- 
faced Widgeon, Green-headed Widgeon, Baldhead, Southern Widgeon, White- 
belly, Smoking Duck. 
German: Amerikanische Pfeifente. 
French: Canard d’Amerique. 
Creole: Zin-zin. 
Spanish: Pato chalcuan, Pato cabanca. 
Mexican: Xalcanauhtli. 
Guatemala: Gallareta. 
Eskimo: Nimimipikhtwan, Tingazomear. 
DESCRIPTION 
Adult Male; Forehead and whole top of head white, or pale buff. Sides of the face and neck white 
or cream color, thickly dotted with black. Behind the eye a wide patch of iridescent green running 
back and meeting its fellow at the occiput. This green patch is often merely a series of green spots. 
Mantle and scapulars vinaceous brown, finely vermiculated with wavy black lines. Back and rump 
gray, finely vermiculated; rump nearly white. Breast and sides of breast same as in European 
Widgeon. Lower parts similar, but flanks more vinaceous in tone. Under tail-coverts, tail and upper 
tail-coverts as in Anas penelope. Wing as in the European bird, but the axillars are either pure 
white or slightly speckled at the tips, never speckled all over. 
Bill bright slate-blue, black at the tip, and with a black line along base of culmen. Legs and feet 
yellowish to bluish brown, webs dusky. Iris dark brown. 
Wing 252-270 mm.; bill 45-48; tarsus 36-41. 
W'eight 2 pounds to 2 pounds 7 ounces (0.95 to 1.1 kilograms), the maximum weight recorded twice 
by myself. Average for birds in good condition, a trifle over 2 pounds. 
Adult Female: Very similar to Anas penelope, especially the gray types of that species, but the head 
usually much grayer. Axillars pure white, or with only a few freckles along shaft, or near the tips; 
