Wigeon

{{Redirect|Widgeon}} {{Short description|Name given to some birds in the genus Mareca}} {{Paraphyletic group | name = Wigeons | auto = yes | image = Mareca penelope 2.jpg | image_caption = Male (rear) and female (front) Eurasian wigeons. | image2 = Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) (W1CDR0001386 BD2).ogg | image2_caption = Eurasian wigeon calls recorded in Dorset, England | display_parents = 0 | parent = Mareca | includes_text = Wigeon species | includes = * ''Mareca americana'' * ''Mareca sibilatrix'' * ''Mareca penelope'' *†''Mareca marecula'' (extinct, c.1800) }}

The '''wigeons''' or '''widgeons''' are a group of birds, dabbling ducks currently classified in the genus ''Mareca'' along with two other species. There are three extant species of wigeon, in addition to one recently extinct species.

==Biology== right|thumb|Male (front) and female (rear) American wigeons right|thumb|Male (rear) and female (front) Chiloé wigeons There are three extant species: the Eurasian wigeon (''Mareca penelope''; formerly ''Anas penelope''), the American wigeon (''M. americana''; formerly ''A. americana'') and the Chiloé wigeon (''M. sibilatrix''; formerly ''A. sibilatrix''). A fourth species, the Amsterdam wigeon (''M. marecula''; formerly ''A. marecula''), became extinct in the 19th century. The wigeons' closest relatives, forming with them the genus ''Mareca'', are the Gadwall and the Falcated Duck.<ref name=Johnson1999>{{cite journal|last1=Johnson|first1=KP|last2=Sorenson|first2=MD|title=Phylogeny and biogeography of dabbling ducks (genus: ''Anas''): A comparison of molecular and morphological evidence|journal=The Auk|volume=116|issue=3|pages=792–805|year=1999|url=http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v116n03/p0792-p0805.pdf|doi=10.2307/4089339|jstor=4089339 }}</ref><ref>{{ cite journal | last1=Gonzalez | first1=J. | last2=Düttmann | first2=H. | last3=Wink | first3=M. | year=2009 | title=Phylogenetic relationships based on two mitochondrial genes and hybridization patterns in Anatidae | journal=Journal of Zoology | volume=279 | issue=3 | pages=310–318 | doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00622.x }}</ref>

All three wigeons are similarly shaped, with a steep forehead and bulbous rear to the head. All three wigeon species hybridise in captivity<ref name=Jiguet1999>{{cite journal|author=Jiguet, Frédéric |year=1999|title= Photo-forum: hybrid American Wigeons |journal=Birding World|volume= 12|issue=6|pages=247–52}}</ref> while American and Eurasian wigeons hybridise in the wild.<ref name=Carey1993>Carey, Geoff J. (1993). Hybrid male wigeon in East Asia ''Hong Kong Bird Report 1992'' 160-6</ref> An American Wigeon × Mallard hybrid has also been recorded.<ref name=Fedynich1993>{{cite journal|author1=Fedynich, Alan M. |author2=Rhodes, Olin E. Jr. |name-list-style=amp |year=1993|title= Mallard × American Wigeon Hybrid on the Southern High Plains of Texas |doi=10.2307/3672079|volume=38|journal=The Southwestern Naturalist|issue=2 |pages=179–181|jstor=3672079 |bibcode=1993SWNat..38..179F }}</ref>

The American wigeon was formerly called the ''baldpate'' by ornithologists, and some people still use that name, especially hunters.

The diet of the wigeon consists mainly of grass leaves (~80%); other food types eaten are seeds (~10%) and roots and stems (~5%).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Owen|first1=Myrfyn|last2=Thomas|first2=G. J.|date=1979-01-01|title=The Feeding Ecology and Conservation of Wigeon Wintering at the Ouse Washes, England|jstor=2402854|journal=Journal of Applied Ecology|volume=16|issue=3|pages=795–809|doi=10.2307/2402854|bibcode=1979JApEc..16..795O }}</ref>

Wigeons were formerly classified in the genus ''Anas'' but following a study in 2009 five extant species (3 species of wigeon, plus gadwall and falcated duck) were transferred to the resurrected genus ''Mareca''.<ref>https://gsejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12711-024-00904-8#:~:text=As%20a%20result%2C%20five%20wigeon,increase%20to%2055%20%5B10%5D.</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite journal|author=Bailey HH |year=1919|title= An interesting hybrid of ''Mareca penelope'' (Widgon) and ''Mareca americana'' (Baldpate) |journal=Wilson Bulletin|volume= 31|pages=25}} *{{cite journal|vauthors=Cox C, Jessie B|url=http://www.aba.org/birding/v37n2p156.pdf|title=Aging of American and Eurasian Wigeons in female-type plumages|journal=Birding|volume=37|issue=2|pages=156–164|archive-date=2012-10-19|access-date=2011-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019060610/http://aba.org/birding/v37n2p156.pdf|url-status=dead}} *{{cite journal|vauthors=Harrison JM, Harrison JG |year=1968|url=https://britishbirds.co.uk/article/wigeon-x-chiloe-wigeon-hybrid-resembling-american-wigeon/ |title= Wigeon × Chiloé Wigeon hybrid resembling American Wigeon |journal=British Birds|volume= 61|pages= 169–171}} *{{cite journal|author=Harrop A |year=1994|title= Photo-forum: a presumed hybrid American Wigeon in Grampian |journal=Birding World|volume= 7|pages=116–7}} *{{cite journal|author=Harrop A |year=1994|title= Field identification of American Wigeon|journal= Birding World|volume= 7|pages=50–56}} *{{cite journal|author=Jiquet F |year=1999|title= Photo forum: Hybrid American Wigeons|journal= Birding World |volume=12|pages=247–252}} *{{cite journal|author=Larkin P |year=2000|title= Eyelid colour of American Wigeon|journal= British Birds|volume= 93|pages=39–40}} *{{cite journal|author=MacKay A |year=1996|title= Hybrid wigeon resembling American Wigeon in Leicestershire |journal=Birding World|volume= 9|pages=146–7}} *{{cite journal|author=Shiota T |year=1987|title= A challenge in the identification of hybrid American and Eurasian Wigeon |journal=Yacho|volume=496|pages=6, 18–19}} *{{cite journal|vauthors=Votier SC, Harrop AH, Denny M |year=2003|url=https://britishbirds.co.uk/article/a-review-of-the-status-and-identification-of-american-wigeon-in-britain-ireland/ |title= A review of status and identification of American Wigeon in Britain and Ireland |journal=British Birds|volume= 96|pages= 2–22}} *{{cite journal|author=Watson GE |year=1970|title= A presumed wild hybrid Baldpate × Eurasian Wigeon |journal=The Auk|volume= 87|pages= 353–7|url=http://sora.unm.edu/node/21985|doi=10.2307/4083926|issue=2|jstor=4083926 |doi-access=free}}

==External links== Photographs of hybrid wigeons can be seen [http://www.azfo.org/gallery/eurxamerScottsdale.html here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120080723/http://azfo.org/gallery/eurxamerScottsdale.html |date=2010-11-20 }} and [http://www.azfo.org/gallery/eurxamer.html here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218165456/http://www.azfo.org/gallery/eurxamer.html |date=2010-12-18 }}.

Category:Mareca Category:Ducks Category:Wigeons Category:Bird common names