[TN-Bird] Re: Why only male Eurasian Wigeons
- From: Michael Todd <birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "elegrand@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" <elegrand@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, 'Tn bird' <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2013 08:49:53 -0800 (PST)
Ed,
This question has come up from time to time. I also think it is a matter of
them being overlooked for the most part, though a very small number to be
overlooked to start with. I do think, and no disrespect intended whatsoever,
that the ID of female plumage Wigeons has come along a tremendous amount over
the last few years, and is a quantum leap past what you had available with the
(great) old Robbins guide. Of course to know you have a female-type Eurasian is
going to take a good look, better than we often get. That being said, a very
monotone female Eurasian could easily get your attention at a distance, but it
would probably be hard to see enough detail to be sure. Whereas a male can be
picked out at practically the edge of vision.
I seriously doubt many people are actively searching for female-plumage
Eurasians, though with recent advanced and knowledge, some are. I do, but have
also as yet come up empty, here in the mid-south. But, having seen a number of
them elsewhere, they can look quite different and it can be done. This same
situation exists with Cinnamon Teal, very few females are identified outside of
normal range compared to males. I believe the eclipse Garganey Jeff found in
Memphis years ago was initially discounted by many for this reason.
I'm not suggesting there are female Eurasians here with any regularity, but
TN's first record was of 2 males and a female (which I have no details of). I
realize that practically all Eurasians found in the east are males, though
females are found regularly in the Pac NW in the larger numbers of Eurasians
found there. For anyone wanting a challenge, and to make yourself look at
supposedly common birds much closer, the study of female Wigeons could be a lot
of fun! There is an excellent .pdf available from the 2005 Birding article
about this subject:
http://www.azfo.org/gallery/EUWI_article_%20BirdingVol37No2.pdf
Interesting topic!
Mike Todd
McKenzie, TN
birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.pbase.com/mctodd
________________________________
From: Ed Legrand <elegrand@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: 'Tn bird' <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 1, 2013 9:49 AM
Subject: [TN-Bird] Why only male Eurasian Wigeons
I can explain why the Eurasian Wigeons are always males. About 30 years ago
while birding at Gray Lodge WMA in California’s Sacramento Valley, over the
course of the winter’s day we found about a dozen male Eurasian Wigeons among
several thousand American Wigeons. Despite often excellent viewing conditions
and actively working at it (Robbins’ field guide in hand), my companions and I
could not confidently say we had found a female Eurasian Wigeon (I see they
were called European Widgeon [sic] (Mareca penelope) then). Since then, it’s
been only males that I’ve identified. Not saying it’s impossible to pick out a
female, but …
Ed LeGrand
Cumberland Co., TN
From:tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tn-bird-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Bill Pulliam
Sent: Saturday, November 30, 2013 4:32 PM
To: Tn bird
Subject: [TN-Bird] Re: Eurasion Wigeon present
This makes three of the last four winters with an adult male Eurasian Wigeon
spotted somewhere along the Tennessee River/Kentucky Lake corridor between
Britton Ford and Savannah Bottoms. Makes one wonder if they have possibly all
been the same bird?
Bill Pulliam
Hohenwald TN
On Nov 30, 2013, at 1:04 PM, Michael Todd wrote:
11/30/2013
>Britton Ford, Henry Co
>
>When I arrived about 10 AM, David Kirschke and the Routledges were already
>there, with the bird in and out of view with the large group of Wigeon
>present. They would walk around the point to the north, then fly out in mass a
>hundred yards or so, only to steadily walk back out of view. This went on
>several times, before the drake Eurasian finally decided to take a long nap,
>on the point buried in amongst the various other ducks. Most of the this time,
>it was effectively invisible due to being behind so many other birds. Ruben
>Stoll arrived in time to see it, and Bill Lisowski of KY (finder of the recent
>Say's Phoebe at Reelfoot), arrived just a couple of minutes after the whole
>group flew to the south end of the bay here, which is largely hidden from
>view. You have to move around a lot to try to see into this area, and we
>hadn't relocated the bird when I left about 11:30. It is still in the area
>though. Also 3 Cackling Geese flew by trailing a group of
White-fronts. Otherwise, just the expected birds of the area, with a few
Forster's Terns a nice addition. I didn't check any of the other areas here,
though others were.
>
>I've placed 2 distant shots of the Eurasian Wigeon in a gallery here:
>http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/gallery/winter_201314 Hopefully others will get
>some better shots of this very sharp bird, showing no signs of hybridization.
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