Important American game birds; their ranges, habits and the hunting (1917) (14748770914)

PINTAIL, BLACK DUCK, BALD-PATE
Identifier: importantamerica00forb (find matches)
Title: Important American game birds; their ranges, habits and the hunting
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: Forbush, Edward Howe, 1858-1929, comp E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company Hunt, Lynn Bogue, illus
Subjects: Game and game-birds
Publisher: Wilmington, Del., E. I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation



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he young of the year. This serves as a distinguish-ing mark, though often hidden by the feathers when the bird is sitting on the water. The females andyoung somewhat resemble in appearance those of the mallard but are smaller. The gadwall is a swiftflyer and in the air resembles the bald-pate, and though it is one of the fresh-water or so-called surface-feeding ducks it is a good diver. Sometimes a large flock of bald-pates is accompanied by a few gadwalls, as this species does notoften flock by itself. Therefore no special directions can be given for hunting it, as most shooting ofgadwalls is incidental to the pursuit of other more common ducks. It gets much of its living alongthe shores of ponds and rivers, concealing itself in the grasses and other rank vegetation on or nearthe shore, and frequently may be approached when thus feeding under cover. If it discovers thehunter it is likely to swim out into open water and fly rather than attempt to hide. 8 IMPORTANT AMERICAN GAME -BIRDS
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BALD-PATE See page 10 IM P ORTANT -AMERICAN GAME BIRDS Mareca americana The true widgeon is a bird of the East- BALD-PATE OR AMERICAN WIDGEON e™ Hemisphere. It is taken occasion- ally in this country, and possibly maybreed somewhere in the great Fur Countries, but the bird commonly called widgeon here is thebald-pate or American widgeon. This bird ranges over North America, breeds from northwestern Alaska east through Mackenzieand central Keewatin to the west coast of Hudson Bay, south to Oregon and Nevada, and east toKansas, southern Wisconsin and northern Indiana. It winters from southern British Columbia,Arizona, southern Illinois, Maryland and Delaware Crarely to Massachusetts), south to southern LowerCalifornia, Costa Rica and the Antilles. It is rare in migration to northern Quebec, Ontario and New-foundland, and has been recorded from Hawaii, Bermuda and Europe. In winter it is common onthe coast, from Chesapeake Bay to the Carolinas but less common or rare both north and sou