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the scapular region, are very different in the two. Females and young are very easily 

 confused with females of Canvas-back, Ring-necked Duck and even Scaup. From 

 the first it may be told by its shorter bill and higher forehead; from the second by its 

 larger size, lighter back, and differently marked bill. From the Scaups it differs in 

 having a gray instead of a white speculum, and also in having less white on the fore 

 part of the face. Griscom (1922-23) has remarked that in a mixed flight of Red-heads 

 and Scaup the former are apt to mount higher in the air so that the top stratum is 

 more likely to be composed of that species. 



Wariness. In comparison with Mallard or Black Duck, Red-heads are rather 

 foolish birds. Not only are they more easily approached on the water, but when once 

 they have made up their minds they come easily to decoys and sometimes respond 

 readily to an imitation of the female's call. But being birds of broad waters it is not 

 always easy to make a large bag, because they have a curious way of taking certain 

 routes on their flights and sticking so closely to a particular water-lane that a bat- 

 tery anchored just outside their line of flight will have no shooting at all. This 

 probably has nothing to do with instinctive wildness, however. Their inquisitive- 

 ness is or rather used to be taken advantage of by using a tolling dog to draw them 

 toward the shore where the shooter lay concealed. When Mr. Francis Harper (MS.) 

 was on the breeding grounds at Athabasca Lake, a pair of Red-heads, impelled by 

 curiosity, swam up to within twenty yards of him while he lay partially concealed 

 near the water. In our New England ponds they do not respond to the seductions of 

 live decoys but will almost always follow a flock of wooden Scaup decoys rigged on 

 an endless line and pulled toward the shore after the flock has swum up to them. 



Daily Movements. Red-heads are active on the wing both morning and eve- 

 ning and through the middle of the day are comparatively quiet. Where they are 

 much disturbed they retire to deep waters as soon as the morning shooting has 

 begun, or if in brackish sounds they rise high in the air and start their daily flight to 

 the sea. In fine weather they sit outside the breakers all day long and do not come in 

 until after sunset or perhaps even after dark. If, however, the sea becomes choppy 

 during the day, they are forced to come into the sounds for shelter, and at such times, 

 if the weather is boisterous enough, large numbers are taken. 



During migration they prefer to travel by night like all the diving ducks, but 

 sometimes daylight seems to catch them before their destination has been reached. 



If left entirely to themselves they would feed most actively in the early morning 

 and late afternoon hours, but in a great many places they have been forced to adopt 

 other habits. They can feed at night like the Common Pochard, especially if the 

 weather is fine and the night bright. I doubt if they can do this so successfully on 

 dark or stormy nights. In some localities both Red-heads and Canvas-backs shot in 



