WILD DUCKS AS WINTER GUESTS 



339 



frequently dive in unison, with almost 

 military precision. 



When feeding under conditions just 

 described, the ducks remain under the 

 water from 10 to 30 seconds. They are 

 apparently able to see well under water. 

 Whole barley and rice are the two grains 

 most relished. The Canvasbacks prefer 

 the open waters of the lake, rarely going 

 out on the lawns, although they regularly 

 spend considerable time on the mud flats 

 at the margin of the lake, sunning them- 

 selves, preening their feathers, and sleep- 

 ing or resting. 



THE DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF THE 

 CANVASBACK 



In the field, the low sloping forehead 

 is, in both sexes, the best distinguishing 

 mark of this species. If a straight line 

 were drawn from the top of the head to 

 the tip of the bill, it would almost touch 

 the top of the bill and the forehead for 

 the entire distance. The male bird is 

 characterized by having a white back, a 

 reddish-brown neck entirely surrounded 

 at the base by a broad black collar, and a 

 black tail and rump patch, which latter, 

 when the bird is resting on the water, is 

 not completely covered by the white 

 feathers of the back. The bright car- 

 mine eye of the male is readily visible at 

 a distance of 20 feet in good light. 



The female Canvasback lacks the con- 

 trasting black and white coloring of the 

 male and has a brownish, moth-eaten ap- 

 pearance. The most conspicuous feature 

 of the female, aside from the low sloping 

 forehead, is a whitish, comet-shaped 

 streak behind the eye. 



THE BATDPATES HATE TO HAVE THEIR 

 PICTURES TAKEN 



The Baldpate or Widgeon is the spe- 

 cies third in abundance at Lake Merritt. 

 This duck receives its name from the 

 broad streak of white which, in the male, 

 extends from the forehead over the top 

 of the head. A wide streak of metallic 

 green is also to be seen behind the eye. 

 The female lacks these two characters, 

 but both sexes may be recognized, even 

 in flight, by the small, short bill and by 

 the white belly, which contrasts with the 

 pinkish brown sides and breast. 



When resting on the water, Baldpates 



may be recognized by their sharp but 

 stubby tails, which stick upward at a 

 much sharper angle than does the tail of 

 the Pintail. While mingling freely among 

 the Pintails even in flight, the Baldpates 

 have been the most difficult of all the 

 ducks to photograph at close range. It is 

 hard to get them off by themselves, and 

 when separated they usually manage to 

 keep one or more Pintails between them- 

 selves and the photographer. 



Aside from its peculiar spoon-shaped 

 bill, which is the reason for its common 

 names, the Shoveler, or Spoon-bill, is one 

 of the most beautiful ducks in the United 

 States. The bright-green head and neck, 

 white breast, rich cinnamon underparts, 

 and orange red feet and legs make up the 

 brilliant color scheme of the male. In 

 this bird one of the best field characters 

 is to be found in the large white spot 

 on each side, at the base of the tail. 

 The female has the same peculiar bill 

 as the male, but lacks his bright color- 

 ing. 



THE BENEEITS DERIVED EROM THE 

 SANCTUARY 



As will be seen from the photographs, 

 the female Shoveler has a distinctly mot- 

 tled appearance, because of the brown 

 feathers on the back, breast, and sides 

 being widely margined with ashy. In 

 flight, both sexes may be recognized by 

 the spoon-shaped bill, chunky head, short 

 neck, and diamond-shaped tail. 



The Shovelers occupy a certain central 

 portion of the lawn, to which they are 

 very partial. Here they congregate in 

 long, strung-out flocks, all the birds head- 

 ed in one general direction, and doze in 

 the sunshine. Each bird stands on one 

 leg with its bill tucked away among the 

 feathers of its back. 



To the city man or woman, often en- 

 gaged in a sedentary occupation, the rec- 

 reational value of wild ducks is of fat- 

 greater importance than any monetary 

 value. To these people, the hours of re- 

 laxation spent at suitable intervals during 

 the winter, in the sunshine and open air 

 of the park, observing and enjoying the 

 blending colors and graceful movements 

 of the ducks, may often be of very con- 

 siderable importance in maintaining per- 

 sonal health and mental vigor. 



