Help Identifying this duck

David~

I agree with Craig - Drake Wigeon: from the vermiculated back/scapular feathers with dark midrib; black tail section with long central tail feathers; white flanks; "mauve" chest feathers. But, it could be a Eurasian Wigeon - or American. Is the head attached? Any iridescent green near the eye (American) - or cinnamon or cream color only (Eurasian) ?

Interesting puzzle! (Is someone going to make a hat ?)

SJS
 
99.99% sure it's a drake American wigeon-it's not grey enough in the body to be a Eurasian in my opinion. They are beautiful ducks with a great potential to be used for fly tying! We get a lot of them in my area and they are almost impossibly beautiful. Here's a photo of a prime one that I shot a few seasons ago for comparison:

Wigeon_zpsa0a5cabd.jpg
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Good morning, Cody~

Good catch! I was laying abed this morning, thinking: Eurasians are greyer, aren't they????

All the best,

SJS
 
Thanks to all.
I looked at a range map and interesting all the summer breeding areas and all the wintering areas are all well west of Maine but the migration area includes Maine. I have no idea why any duck would travel twice as far to fly through Maine but apparently some might. I have never seen much less shot one.
They area nice looking bird.
Thanks again.
 
Dave, a friend of mine shot one in the early season on Merrymeeting Bay a few years ago. I saw one in a mixed flock of mallards and black ducks on a small freshwater pond next to Great Salt Bay in Newcastle about 3 weeks ago.

They show up occasionally in the bird watcher's reports, too.
 
They are a good duck to use the flank feathers for tailing, wing cases, and posts. They are great for tying Bird's nest.

Tight Lines ... Fred
 
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