February 2025 Bird's Nest

Bird mama · ‎03-12-2010

Welcome Friends Old and New to the Bird's Nest for February.

Free Images : cute, love, heart, romantic, toy, material, penguin ...

Among the trees is a bird's nest,

and in the nest her three eggs rest,

and in each egg, Hush, you'll be heard!

There lies asleep A tiny bird.

Written by H.N. Bialik

There are times when you must speak, not because you are going to change the opposing side, but because if you do not speak, they have changed you.

Bird mama · ‎03-12-2010

The bird of the day is the American Wigeon. When I look at the word Wigeon I hear Elmer Fudd's voice

American Wigeon | Audubon Field Guide

Current conservation status is LC (least concern) and the population trend is stable.

The American wigeon, also called a baldpate, is a species of dabbling duck found in North America. The breeding male (drake) is a striking bird with a mask of green feathers around its eyes and a cream-colored cap running from the crown of its head to its bill. This white patch gives the wigeon its other common name, baldpate (pate is another word for head). Their belly is also white. In flight, drakes can be identified by the large white shoulder patch on each wing. These white patches flash as the birds bank and turn.

In non-breeding plumage, the drake looks more like the female. The female (a hen) is much less conspicuous, having primarily gray and brown plumage. Both sexes have a pale blue bill with a black tip, a white belly, and gray legs and feet.

American wigeons are highly gregarious outside of the breeding season and spend time in large flocks. They are active during the day and usually feed by dabbling for plant food or grazing, which they do very readily. While on the water, wigeons often gather with feeding coots and divers and are known to grab pieces of vegetation brought to the surface by diving water birds. For this reason, they are sometimes called "poacher" or "robber" ducks.

American wigeons also commonly feed on dry land, eating waste grain in harvested fields and grazing on pasture grasses, winter wheat, clover, and lettuce. Having a largely vegetarian diet, most birds migrate in the fall well before northern marshes begin to freeze.

American wigeons are herbivores and feed mainly on aquatic and terrestrial plants. They will also eat some eats some insects, mollusks, and snails.

American wigeons are serially monogamous; they form pairs that remain together during a single breeding season and after the second week of incubation, males usually leave to molt. These birds nest on the ground, near water, and under cover. Their nests are constructed of grasses and weed stems. The female lays 6-12 creamy-white eggs which are incubated for 23-25 days. The ducklings are precocial and leave the nest with the female soon after hatching. They become independent at about 37-48 days of age and reach reproductive maturity when they are about 1 year old.

Female

American Wigeon | BirdNote