Last week while at the Ballard Locks (2/16) in Seattle I noted a small
number of
American widgeons (and a Eurasion as well) but what interested me was an
unusual American widgeon. A description from Waterfowl guide describes
the male distinctive, having whitish forehead and crown center, dark
green band extending back from eye over sides of head with sides of head
and neck greeyish white, intensely freckled with dark mottling. This bird
cream forehead, dark green band and sides of head and neck was cream as
well. There was no intense freckling with dark mottling on the cheek and
side of the head and there was a bit of freckling towards the neck. It
was a very striking pattern effect and this bird stands out in a crowd of
widgeons. Is there a fair amount of variation in the intense freckling
with dark mottling pattern or is this bird a hybrid from the South? I
just joined tweeters so someone else may have mentioned this bird.
Mary Peretz
Seattle, Washington
mperetz at fred.fhcrc.org