Type of Duck - Coos Bay, Oregon USA (1 Viewer)

[Lisa W]

Saw this fellow amongst the mallards today (Feb 23rd) at a local park. I’ve never seen a mallard with a cinnamon colored head. Can someone ID please. (Probably just a manky mallard - as I’ve heard them referred to.) As usual, thanks for the help.

 

[MelospizaMelodiaFan]

Pretty sure it's a male American widgeon,very handsome indeed.

Actually, it may be Eurasian widgeon.

 

[Butty]

Eurasian wigeon.

 

[Dimitris]

A scarcity in the states I believe?

 

[THE_FERN]

A scarcity in the states I believe?

But more widespread than you might inagine

 

[Lisa W]

Thanks all! Another new lifer for me.

 

[qwerty5]

But more widespread than you might inagine

Indeed, and they aren't rare in the OP's area: https://ebird.org/region/US-OR-011/media?yr=all&m=#eurwig

 

[Butty]

Looks tame, so likely of captive origin.

 

[01101001]

I might be wrong, but, from the looks of it, there's yet to be a captive Eurasian Wigeon that would be recorded in the US via eBird: Sign in

EDIT: I managed to find one in SW Indiana in mid April.

 

[aeshna5]

Looks tame, so likely of captive origin.

They often are in urban areas, so that wouldn't mean it's not wild. Equally one can walk within a few metres of birds on areas where they know they're not hunted such as Titchwell & Lady Ann's Drive, Holkham.

 

[Oldnintheway]

Indeed, and they aren't rare in the OP's area: https://ebird.org/region/US-OR-011/media?yr=all&m=#eurwig

Quite common here in the Puget Sound, Washington State, although there seems to be fewer around this Winter than usual.

 

[Lisa W]

Did some research after having the ID verified. As qwerty5 said, they are fairly common on the coast of Oregon in the winter. As it is my first winter here it is the first time I’ve come across one.