American Wigeon (Anas americana)

County List:

Rule:

Mixed Forested/Nonforested or Nonforested Landscapes

Nesting and Foraging/Brood Rearing Habitats are Adjacent during the early breeding season.

Nesting Habitat:
      (Field/Pasture or Sedge Meadow)
   adjacent to:
      (Lake or Pond or Sewage Lagoons & Farm Ponds)

Foraging/Brood Rearing Habitat:
      (Lake or Pond or Sewage Lagoons & Farm Ponds)
   adjacent to:
      Any Emergent Wetland

Habitat List:

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Literature:

Habitat: In Michigan, breeding has been documented at large coastal marshes, inland impoundments, small sewage ponds, and even a lake in a metropolitan park. The most important habitat requirement is the presence of open water offering submerged or floating vegetation on which to feed. The nest, hidden in a clump of low vegetation, is a ground hollow lined with grass or other plant material beneath the female's down and feathers. In Ontario, nests may be placed from water's edge to 180 m away; sites include cattail marshes, meadows, shores of lakes and rivers, and even heath bogs, coniferous forest edges, and sand beaches.

Habitat: Breeding: Isolated breeder. Perhaps large lakes or marshes with abundant open, shallow water and emergent vegetation especially sedges and rushes.

While most dabbling ducks are denizens of the shallows, American Wigeon spend much of their time in flocks grazing on land. Paradoxically, they also spend more time than other marsh ducks on deep water, where they get much of their food by stealing it from other birds such as coots or diving ducks.

Habitat: Marshes, lakes, bays, fields. In summer mainly on inland marshes, especially larger marshes, not often at small ponds. In migration and winter on coastal estuaries, fresh or salt marshes, inland lakes and ponds. May winter on large deep lakes.

Diet: Mostly plant material. Eats aquatic plants such as pondweeds, sedges, wild celery, eelgrass, algae. Also eats some insects and snails. On land, grazes on young grass shoots and consumes seeds and waste grains. Very young ducklings eat many insects.

Nest: Site on dry land, sometimes on island, usually within 100 feet of water but sometimes ½ mile away; site concealed by tall vegetation. Nest is shallow depression filled with grasses and weeds, lined with down.