CANVAS-BACK 



NYROCA VALISINERIA (Wilson) 

 (Plates 56, 57, 59) 



Synonymy 

 Anas valisineria Wilson, Amer. Ornithology, vol. 8, p. 103, pi. 70, fig. 5, 1814. 

 Anas vallisneriana Sabine, Appendix Franklin's Journ., p. 699, 1823. 

 Anas valisneria Vieillot, Encycl. Methodique, vol. 1, p. 359, 1823. 

 Fuligula vallisneria Stephens, General Zool., vol. 12, pt. 2, p. 196, 1824. 

 Aythya valisneria Boie, Oken's Isis, p. 980, 1826. 

 Fuligula valisneria Hartlaub, Verzeichniss nat.-hist. Sammlung Ges. Mus., p. 120, 



1844. 

 Nyroca valisneria G. R. Gray, List Birds British Mus., vol. 3, p. 43, 1844. 

 Aythyia erythrocephala Lichtenstein (nee Brehm), Nomenclator Avium, p. 102, 1854. 

 Mihyia valisneria Cabanis and Gundlach, Journ. f. Ornith., vol. 5, p. 229, 1857. 

 Aristonetta vallisneria Baird, Birds No. Amer., p. 793, 1858. 

 Mihyia vallisneria Dresser, Ibis, ser. 2, vol. 2, p. 43, 1866. 

 Fuligula valisneriana Audubon, Birds of Amer., vol. 6, p. 299, pi. 395, 1843. 

 Anas valisneriana Giebel, Thesaurus Ornith., vol. 1, p. 364, 1872. 

 Fulix vallisneria Coues, Key No. Amer. Birds, ed. 2, p. 703, 1884. 

 Nyroca vallisneria Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., vol. 27, p. 342, 1895. 

 Marila valisineria A. O. U. Checklist, ed. 3, p. 74, 1910. 

 Aristonetta valisineria Oberholser, Auk, vol. 36, p. 267, 1919. 



Vernacular Names 

 English: Canvas-back, White-back, Sheldrake, Can, Red-head, Red-neck, Bull- 

 neck, Red-headed Bull-neck. 

 German: Kanevasente. 



French: Milouin aux yeux rouges, Canard cheval. 

 Mexican: Coacostle, Coacoxtli. 



DESCRIPTION 



Adult Male: Somewhat similar in coloring to the male of the Red-head (Nyroca americana) but 

 larger, lighter-colored on the scapulars, and with a much longer bill. Top of head, fore part of face 

 and chin nearly black, but remainder of head and the neck bright rufous chestnut. Scapulars in fully 

 plumaged old males nearly white, with very fine vermiculations. Rump black, tail brownish to black. 

 Breast jet black, sharply denned from the pure white of the upper abdomen. Lower abdomen slightly 

 vermiculated with gray and under tail-coverts black, somewhat mixed with gray. Wing-coverts gray 

 and vermiculated, but darker than the scapulars. Speculum slaty gray, lighter and vermiculated at 

 the posterior margin; primaries dark brown. 



