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Redhead (Male)


Redhead (Male)
Photo Information
Copyright: Bob Williams (bikefifty) Silver Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 24 W: 0 N: 158] (596)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-01
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon Rebel XTi, Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 II
Exposure: f/6.3, 1/400 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Photos on TrekNature [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2009-01-30 5:27
Viewed: 3504
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
For the most part, the Redhead duck is a migratory bird in this part of the country. In many ways they look like a Canvasback but with a shorter bill and a gray back.

I hope you enjoy him.

From Wikipedia:

The Redhead (Aythya americana) is a medium-sized diving duck, 37 cm long with an 84 cm wingspan.

The adult male has a blue bill, a red head and neck, a black breast, yellow eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a darker bluish bill with a black tip.

The breeding habitat is marshes and prairie potholes in western North America. Loss of nesting habitat has led to sharply declining populations. Females regularly lay eggs in the nests of other Redheads or other ducks, especially Canvasbacks. Redheads usually take new mates each year, starting to pair in late winter.

Following the breeding season, males go through a molt which leaves them flightless for almost a month. Before this happens, they leave their mates and move to large bodies of water, usually flying further north.

They overwinter in the southern and north-eastern United States, the Great Lakes region, northern Mexico and the Caribbean.

This strong migrant is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.

These birds feed mainly by diving or dabbling. They mainly eat aquatic plants with some molluscs, aquatic insects and small fish.
jaycee, CeltickRanger, pekkavalo1, tuslaw has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • zetu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 967 W: 26 N: 3888] (16941)
  • [2009-01-30 5:28]

Hi Bob
Nice capture. Perfect focus with rich details and beautiful colors.
Well done.
Regards.
Razvan

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2009-01-30 13:04]

Hi Bob,

This Redhead is a real cutey. I'm not sure I have seen one before. Beautiful colors and details of the face and feathers. I love that yellow eye! A very pleasing composition.

Jane

hello Bob

excellent photography of the Redhead duck,
shot with fine POV, DOF and framing,
excellent focus on it with great sharpness and details, TFS

Asbed

Hi Bob,
Very good capture of Redhead; good low POV, great composition, sharp fine details and bright natural colours. There are slight shadows caused by sharpening, they could be cleaned away but doing it neatly may take some time. Keep up the good work.
TFS
Cheers
Pekka

  • Great 
  • tuslaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2754 W: 282 N: 4931] (19883)
  • [2009-03-02 18:37]

Hello Bob,
I was just surfing the site and decided to see what images you had in your past. I really like this shot of the Redhead Duck. The colors are gorgeous, and I'm not talking just about the duck, I also like the colors in the rippled water as well.
I saw my first Redhead about a year ago while I was visiting my daughter in Phoenix. I took a few shots and looked up the ID. when I returned home. They are a very pretty bird and as you stated, really do resemble a Canvasback. TFS.
Ron

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