mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser) (11/05/88)
In article <1038@entropy.ms.washington.edu>, amber@scott.stat.washington.edu (Amber Tatnall) writes: > Gadwalls are probably my favorite ducks. I like their sweet > expression and their spiffy plumage. Has anyone ever noticed > Peterson's rendition of the gadwall? I always found the shape of the > gadwall's head (high, narrow, almost squared forehead) to be a > distinquishing characteristic of the duck--particularly useful when > the sun is behind it. Why doesn't Peterson use this as a field mark? > Is this shape of the head due to feathers forming a "crest" that is > not always present? Is it an unreliable characteristic found only in > certain individuals? The head shape of the Gadwall IS fairly distinctive, but possibly shared by the wigeons. You're right in that it is a natty little bird that always seems to be smiling. Gadwall identification seems fairly straight- forward by plumage though. The area where I think head shape is quite beneficial is when distinguishing between female Lesser and Greater Scaup. Oftentimes head shape is the only clue to go on with these birds. Fortunately, the local Palo Alto Duck Pond affords visitors the opportunity to observe both these species side-by-side from about 10-15 ft. while they are being fed bread. A wonderful learning experience for a difficult set of ducks. Mike