Wigeon

The wigeons or widgeons are a group of birds, dabbling ducks currently classified in the genus Mareca along with two other species. There are three extant species of wigeon, in addition to one recently extinct species.

"Widgeon" redirects here. For other uses, see Widgeon (disambiguation).

Wigeons
Male (rear) and female (front) Eurasian wigeons.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Tribe: Anatini
Genus: Mareca
Species

Biology
Male (front) and female (rear) American wigeons.
Male (rear) and female (front) Chiloé wigeons.

There are three extant species: the Eurasian wigeon (Mareca penelope), the American wigeon (M. americana) and the Chiloé wigeon (M. sibilatrix). A fourth species, the Amsterdam wigeon (Mareca marecula), became extinct in the 19th century. The wigeons' closest relatives, forming with them the genus Mareca, are the gadwall and the falcated duck.[1][2]

All three wigeons are similarly shaped, with a steep forehead and bulbous rear to the head. Males have a distinctive breeding plumage, in their eclipse plumage they resemble females, which are similar in appearance year-round. All three wigeon species hybridise in captivity[3] while American and Eurasian wigeons hybridise in the wild.[4] An American wigeon × mallard hybrid has also been recorded.[5]

The American wigeon was formerly called the baldpate by ornithologists, and some people still use that name, especially hunters.

The diet of the wigeon consists mainly of grass leaves (~80%), other food types eaten are seeds (~10%) and roots and stems (~5%).[6]

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References
  1. Johnson, KP; Sorenson, MD (1999). "Phylogeny and biogeography of dabbling ducks (genus: Anas): A comparison of molecular and morphological evidence" (PDF). The Auk. 116 (3): 792–805. doi:10.2307/4089339.
  2. Gonzalez, J.; Düttmann, H.; Wink, M. (2009). "Phylogenetic relationships based on two mitochondrial genes and hybridization patterns in Anatidae". Journal of Zoology. 279: 310–318. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00622.x.
  3. Jiguet, Frédéric (1999). "Photo-forum: hybrid American Wigeons". Birding World. 12 (6): 247–52.
  4. Carey, Geoff J. (1993). Hybrid male wigeon in East Asia Hong Kong Bird Report 1992 160-6
  5. Fedynich, Alan M. & Rhodes, Olin E. Jr. (1993). "Mallard × American Wigeon Hybrid on the Southern High Plains of Texas". The Southwestern Naturalist. 38: 179. doi:10.2307/3672079.
  6. Owen, Myrfyn; Thomas, G. J. (1979-01-01). "The Feeding Ecology and Conservation of Wigeon Wintering at the Ouse Washes, England". Journal of Applied Ecology. 16 (3): 795–809. doi:10.2307/2402854. JSTOR 2402854.

Further reading

Photographs of hybrid wigeons can be seen here and here.


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