Eurasian Wigeon Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesEurasian Wigeon
Adult male
Adult males have a chestnut head with a buffy crown that contrasts with a mostly gray body. Note large white patch in the wing.
© Christoph Moning / Macaulay LibraryBayern, November 29, 2009Female
Round-headed duck with a short, blue-gray bill with a black tip. Females have a mostly brown to gray-brown body, with a white belly that is visible in flight.
© Ian Davies / Macaulay LibraryMiyazaki, December 23, 2013Eclipse male
Short neck and round headed with a fairly short, black-tipped bill. Note chestnut head and large white patch in the wing.
© Jason Dain / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, January 06, 2019Eclipse male
Mostly brown to reddish-brown, often mottled along flanks. Usually shows white wing stripe, but lacks black tail and undertail coverts.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 19, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Wigeon
Breeding male
American Wigeons have a grayish brown (not chestnut) face and a green eye stripe that Eurasian Wigeons lack. The forehead patch is white on American, but creamy on Eurasian Wigeons.
© Karl Krueger / Macaulay LibraryMaryland, February 06, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Wigeon
Female
Female American Wigeons have a darker gray head than female Eurasian Wigeons. Often best separated by underwing color, which is white on American and silver on Eurasian Wigeons.
© Alix d'Entremont / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, February 28, 2015Similar SpeciesAmerican Wigeon
Nonbreeding male
Nonbreeding males have a brownish gray head while nonbreeding Eurasian Wigeons have a rich chestnut head.
© Esme Rosen / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 23, 2012Similar SpeciesAmerican Wigeon
Breeding male
In flight male and female American Wigeons have white in the underwing while Eurasian Wigeons have silver underwings.
© Alix d'Entremont / Macaulay LibraryNova Scotia, February 28, 2015Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl(Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae)
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