How to Identify a Redhead (Aythya americana)

• Head pattern: Male: rounded reddish head with a steep forehead, distinct from the Canvasback's sloped profile
• Bill: Male: bluish-gray bill with a white saddle near the tip, a dark gray tip, and a yellow-gold iris
• Body pattern: Male: gray back (not white as in Canvasback)
• Body pattern: Female: drab brown overall with a mottled body and buffy-brown head, usually plainer-faced
• Bill: Male and Female: shorter bill with a pale band near the tip, distinguishing both sexes from Canvasback

Redhead is distinguished from Canvasback by its rounder head, steep (not sloped) forehead, shorter bluish-gray bill with a pale band near the tip, and yellow-gold iris versus the Canvasback's red iris and black bill The Canvasback page lists its own marks.

Lakes, saltwater bays, estuaries; fresh marshes in summer; nesting season favors large marshes in prairies or intermountain valleys Breeds across Alaska, western Canada, and the northern Plains prairie regions; winters across coastal and interior US

Shoot from water level if you can, with the sun behind you, so head pattern and the wing patch show their true colors. Get one frame with the bird side-on and one as it stretches or flaps, which exposes the speculum and belly. Note who it is swimming with; ducks flock by species. The app names the likely species; confirm with the marks above, and check the female separately, since females of many ducks look alike.