Redhead

A few Redheads were reported at Capitol Lake the week before Erika and I found this duck on 9 November 2021. Olympia is the only place where we have seen fewer Redheads than the similar looking Canvasback. Redheads have a more typical duck profile, while Canvasbacks sport a “ski-slope” shaped forehead and bill and have a much paler back. This record is only our third that we have seen in Washington. Wahl et al. (2005) consider the Redhead to be an uncommon migrant and rare breeder in western Washington. The other birds in this photo are Ring-necked Ducks.