56 
DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 
resting place for the ducks, but as you walk through the woods in 
spring a pair will often fly from a branch overhead, uttering their 
shrill, plaintive cry as they dart through the trees. 
The nest is sometimes placed in the old excavation of a pileated 
woodpecker, but usually in a natural cavity. A mass of gray down 
from the mother’s breast generally protects the eggs. The parents 
are said to carry the young in their bills from the nest to the nearest 
water, but in some cases, whether accidentally or not, the young 
tumble to the ground. In autumn the families gather into large 
flocks to fatten on wild rice and acorns. When fat the flesh is 
scarcely excelled by that of any duck. They are becoming scarce, 
and unless protected will before long be a bird of the past. 
GENUS AYTHYA. 
General Characters. — Head not crested, but short, thick, and rounded ; 
tail short and rigid ; wing with white or bluish speculum. 
KEY TO ADULT MALES. 
1. Head and neck bright brown. 
2. Crown dusky. vallisneria, p. 57. 
2'. Crown reddish brown. americana, p. 56. 
1'. Head and neck greenish or purplish black. 
2. Head glossed with green. marila, p. 57. 
2'. Head glossed with purple. 
3. Neck without chestnut collar. affinis, p. 58. 
o'. Neck with dark chestnut collar. collaris, p. 59. 
146. Aythya americana (Eyt.). Redhead. 
Bill little more than twice as long as wide. Adult male: whole head 
and neck bright reddish 
chestnut ; shoulders and 
chest black ; belly white ; 
sides and back uniform 
gray, with fine lines of black 
and ashy; tail and feathers 
around base black. Adult 
female: plumage dull gray¬ 
ish brown except for whit¬ 
ish chin, throat, and belly. 
Length : 17-21, wing 8.50- 
9.25, bill 2.05-2.25, width 
of bill .75-.8S. 
Distribution .—Nearly the 
whole of North America, 
breeding from California, 
Missouri, and Maine, north¬ 
ward. Not reported from 
Fig. 72. Alaska. 
A est. — On marshy or 
grassy ground near water, loosely constructed of grass and weeds, and lined 
with down. Eggs: 7 to 10, grayish white or pale olive. 
