85 
Field Marks. Male: a medium-sized Duck of greyish colour without obvious red or 
much detail except strong black and white area on folded wing. Female: like a small 
Mallard with a white speculum. In flight, the white speculum spot of the secondaries on 
the rear of the wing makes best recognition mark. More likely to be confused with Bald- 
pate than any other Duck. 
Nesting. On ground in grass or under bushes. 
Distribution. Across the continent north of lake Athabaska. More common west 
than east of the Great Lakes. 
136. European Widgeon. Mareca penelope. L, 19. Male: like the Baldpate or 
American Widgeon, but the head solid brick red from cream cap to base of neck. Female: 
hardly distinguishable from female Baldpate. 
Distinctions. Red head of adult male distinctive. In other 
plumages probably only separated from Baldpate by having 
axillars thickly but finely speckled or marbled with grey (Figure 
119) instead of being pure white, or very slightly marked or 
shaft streaked. 
Field Marks. The species is too rare to be distinguished on 
sight, except the male with its Baldpate characters and plainly 
red head. 
Distribution. Northern part of eastern hemisphere. 
Occasional records in eastern United States and on the west 
coast north as far as Wrangel island. In western Canada the only records have been from 
southern Vancouver island. 
137. Baldpate. American widgeon. Mareca americana. L, 19. Plate VII A. 
Distinctions. The adult male with its white cap from which the vernacular name is 
derived, and the pinky vinaceous breast and flanks is distinctive enough. In all plumages 
may be known from any other common Duck by the white upperwing coverts, some rather 
patchy, backed by a velvety black speculum (Figure 121, compare with 118). No red on 
wings as in the Gadwall. From the European Widgeon it may be distinguished in all 
plumages by its spotless or nearly immaculate axillars (Figure 120). 
Figure 119 
Speckled axillars 
of European Widgeon; 
scale, J. 
pate; scale, J. Figure 121 
Wing of Baldpate; scale I. 
Field Marks. The male’s white cap, vinaceous breast and flanks, and white patch 
on fore- wing. Both sexes when flying show a white patch on the forepart instead of rear 
edge of wing. 
Nesting. On the ground in grass or under bushes. 
Distribution. Ranges over nearly all of Canada. More common west than east of 
the Great Lakes. Breeds north to the mouth of the Mackenzie. 
“This is a Duck more characteristic of the extreme west, being much 
better known on the coast waters than on the prairies. It is a hardy- 
species, wintering well northward, a bird of large waters rather than of 
sloughs and ponds. Large flocks of these handsome birds, their flashing 
white wing patches showing even at a distance, are a common sight to the 
coastal sportsman. Though a prolific breeder and one of the most numerous 
of western Ducks it loses some popularity on account of its rather small 
