American Wigeon

Mareca americana

Introduction

A handful of individuals of this North American duck are recorded every year in Britain; the adult male is distinctive with a green and white head

The American Wigeon was formerly known as "Baldpate" because the white stripe on its crown resembled a bald man's head.

Key Stats

Status

Rare

Weight

765g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

10k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

200% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Middlesex, 1838

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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During Bird Atlas 2007-11

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

1.1%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for American Wigeon

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

Distribution Change

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Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

200 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Winter Distribution change for American Wigeon

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

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American Wigeon is a rare vagrant, most often recorded in autumn and winter.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about American Wigeon movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for American Wigeon, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for American Wigeon

Classification and Codes

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Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Scientific name: Mareca americana
Authority: JF Gmelin, 1789

BTO 2-letter code: AW
BTO 5-letter code: AMEWI
Euring code number: 1800

Alternate species names

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Catalan: ànec xiulador nord-americà
Czech: hvízdák americký
Danish: Amerikansk Pibeand
Dutch: Amerikaanse Smient
Estonian: ameerika viupart
Finnish: amerikanhaapana
French: Canard d’Amérique

German: Kanadapfeifente
Hungarian: álarcos réce
Icelandic: Ljóshöfðaönd
Irish: Rualacha Mheiriceánach
Italian: Fischione americano
Latvian: Amerikas baltvederis
Lithuanian: amerikine cyple
Norwegian: Amerikablesand

Polish: swistun amerykanski
Portuguese: piadeira-americano
Slovak: kacica bielohlavá
Slovenian: ameriška žvižgavka
Spanish: Silbón americano
Swedish: amerikansk bläsand
Welsh: Chwiwell America

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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