Redhead (bird)

Taxonomy The redhead is in the family Anatidae (ducks, swans, geese) and genus Aythya (diving ducks). There are currently no accepted subspecies of the redhead. The specimens were collected in North America and came to the Liverpool national collection via Thomas Campbell Eyton's collection and the 13th Earl of Derby's collection which was bequeathed to the city of Liverpool. Phylogeny The redhead and the common pochard form a sister group which itself is sister to the canvasback. This group is then sister to the monophyletic group consisting of the white-eyes (hardhead, Madagascar pochard, and the sister species ferruginous duck and baer's pochard) and scaups (New Zealand scaup, ring-necked duck, tufted duck, greater scaup, lesser scaup). == Description ==

The redhead is a pochard, a diving duck specially adapted to foraging underwater. Their legs are placed further back on the body, which makes walking on land difficult. The webbing on their feet is larger than dabbling ducks and their bills are broader to facilitate underwater foraging. In addition, pochards have a lobed hind toe. Males During breeding season, adult males have a copper head and neck, with a black breast. The back and sides are gray, the belly is white and the rump and tail are black. Male bills are pale blue with a black tip and a thin ring separating the two colors. Non-breeding males lose the copper color and instead have brown heads. The eyes are yellow, one of the most obvious distinctions from canvasback and common pochard, which have red eyes. Females Adult females, however, have a yellow to brown head and neck. The breast is brown, the belly is white and the rest of the body is a gray to brown. The female bills are slate with a dark tip that is separated by a blue ring. Females remain the same color year round. The eyes are brown, as in all other Aythya species. == Distribution ==

During breeding season, redheads are found across a wide range of North America, from as far north as Northern Canada, south to the Caribbean in winter. Their preferred areas include the intermontane regions of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Dakotas with some small localities in Ontario, Quebec and southern United States. These pochards then migrate south to winter in warmer climates. These areas include southern United States where breeding does not occur and extends to Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, and the Bahamas. In both seasons, redheads use wetlands as their main habitat. == Habitat ==

Small, semi-permanent wetlands in non-forested country where the water is deep enough to provide dense emergent vegetation is considered ideal breeding habitat for redheads. When wintering, redheads switch to large areas of water near the coast that are protected from wave action, but can also be found in reservoirs, lakes, playa wetlands, freshwater river deltas, coastal marshes, estuaries and bays. == Predators ==

Redheads do not have many predators and are most likely to die of disease or indirect human impact. These ducks are considered less desirable as table fare than their puddle duck cousins like the mallard. However, their beautiful plumage makes them a targeted species for waterfowl hunters looking to focus on diving ducks. Adults can be preyed upon by northern river otters, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls, bald eagles, golden eagles and to a greater extent, minks. Most predation comes in the form of duckling predation and egg foraging. Northern pike and snapping turtles are known to eat ducklings whereas skunks, minks, crows and magpies will steal and eat redhead eggs. == Population status ==

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan for redheads is 760,000 North American birds. The population size has increased in the past few decades to well over 1.4 million birds. Redheads make up 2% of North America's duck population and only 1% of its harvested ducks. Populations may be stable because of restrictive bag limits for the species. In addition, the species uses semi-permanent and permanent wetlands to breed and these habitats are less likely to be affected by drought. For future management of the species, organizations are looking into wetland conservation. == Behavior ==

Migration Spring Redheads begin to leave their winter range in late January and February with the northernmost birds migrating by late April. In western North America, migrants begin arriving in Oregon, British Columbia and Colorado in February. In central North America, migrants arrive as soon as temperatures open wetlands and lakes, which can range from late February (Nebraska) to early May (Alberta, Manitoba and Iowa). In the Great Lakes region and north-eastern North America, migrants will also arrive as soon as bodies of water open up. Fall Western birds migrate through Great Basin to the Pacific Coast. In British Columbia, fall migration begins in September and continues through October. The Great Salt Lake region is of particular importance to migrants in western United States. Central North American redheads will begin migrating earlier, around August/September and go through the Great Plains to the Texas coast. Eastern populations will migrate through the Great Lakes region to the Atlantic Coast or Florida from October to November. Most redheads winter along the Gulf of Mexico (offshore Louisiana, Florida and Mexico). However, eastern populations will winter in South Carolina. Redheads do not defend their territory or home range; they are instead social while in their breeding ground. This is thought to facilitate brood parasitism on other pochards, which is particularly prevalent on the part of younger, less experienced redhead females. Brood sizes range from 5 to 7 young, with the mother abandoning the chicks at 8 weeks old, 2–4 weeks before they are capable of flight. File:Redhead duck 1.jpg|Breeding male File:Redhead in Central Park (15459).jpg|Breeding male File:Redhead (female), Olivera Park, Texas (26965011152).jpg|Adult Female ==References==