RED-HEAD 



NYROCA AMERICANA (Eyton) 

 (Plates 45, 56, 57, 59) 



Synonymy 

 Anas ferina Gmelin, Linne's Systema Naturae, vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 530, 1789 (in part). 

 Fuligula ferina Bonaparte (nee Linne), Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. New York, vol. 2, 



p. 392, 1826. 

 Fuligula americana Eyton, Monograph Anatidse, p. 155, 1838. 

 Nyroca americana G. R. Gray, Genera Birds, vol. 3, p. 621, 1844. 

 Nyroca ferina Woodhouse in Sitgreave's Rept., p. 104, 1853. 

 Ayihya ferina, d. americana Bonaparte, Comptes Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, vol. 43, 



p. 651, 1856. 

 Aythya americana Baird, Birds No. Amer., p. 793, 1858. 

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

 Fuligula ferina, var. americana Coues, Key N. Amer. Birds, p. 289, 1872. 

 Fulix ferina americana Coues, Key N. Amer. Birds, ed. 2, p. 702, 1884. 

 Nyroca ferina americana Hartert, Vogel Palaark. Fauna, vol. 2, p. 1337, 1920. 



Vernacular Names 

 English: Red-head, American Pochard, Red-headed Broadbill, Raft Duck, Red- 

 headed Raft Duck, Washington Canvas-back, Grayback, Fall Duck, Fool Duck. 

 German: Rotkopf, Amerikanische Tafelente. 



French: Milouin a tete rousse, Canard milouin, Dos gris, Canard violon. 

 Mexican: Coacoxtli, Coacostle. 

 Montana Indians: No-so-shi-ne. 



DESCRIPTION 



Adult Male: Similar to the European Pochard {Nyroca ferina) but the red of the head is glossed 

 with coppery reflections, especially on the back of the head and around the upper neck. The abdomen 

 is lighter colored and not so much vermiculated. The long scapulars are darker as well as the pos- 

 terior part of the mantle region. 



Iris bright red in spring, reddish yellow at other times. Bill pale, almost sky-blue with the tip 

 black. Legs and feet bluish slate-color. 



Wing 230-242 mm.; bill 45-49; tarsus 40-43. 



Weight 2 pounds, 8 ounces to 3 pounds (1.13 to 1.30 kilograms) (latter weight at Swan Isle, North 

 Carolina, 1921). One Massachusetts bird which I weighed in 1919 was 2 pounds, 15 ounces (1.27 

 kilograms), and one shot in North Carolina (Pea Isle), in December, went to just a trifle over 3 

 pounds. Average weight of 36 December males at Pea Isle was 2 pounds, 10 ounces (1.19 kilograms). 



