American Wigeons are almost entirely vegetarian, eating mostly plants and even grazing on lawns and fields. On the west coast of Canada, wintering birds often feed on marine plants and algae at low tide.
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The American Wigeon breeds across much of Canada, although its density is highest in the western boreal and subarctic. Its winter distribution extends from coastal British Columbia through the southern United States, Mexico, and some Caribbean islands. Approximately 1.8 million individuals breed in Canada, which represents 65% of the global total and a high degree of responsibility for Canada. Another 700,000 individuals breed in Alaska and migrate to or through western Canada, raising the total to 92% of the global population, corresponding to very high responsibility. The Breeding Bird Survey and Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey both indicate a moderate decrease relative to 1970. Confidence in this trend is high because these programs agree and are highly reliable, although the Christmas Bird Count indicates little change. The national population of American Wigeon is below its goal range.
The Canadian population of American Wigeon is at least moderately well monitored by three programs. The Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (WBPHS) is considered to be the most representative, as it specifically targets waterfowl, provides fairly good coverage of the Canadian population, and has high precision in its trends. The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) also has high reliability and samples more broadly across the Canadian range, although it is somewhat less optimal for detecting waterfowl. The continental Christmas Bird Count results also provide high coverage and have high precision, but sampling is less standardized, so reliability is only medium. The BBS and WBPHS agree that there has been a moderate decrease of -36 to -44% relative to 1970. The CBC trend shows little change, but because of its lower reliability it does not diminish confidence in the status. Similarly, the Eastern Waterfowl Survey (EWS) shows a moderate increase since 1990, but its temporal and spatial coverage is not large enough to influence status or confidence assessments.
The goal for American Wigeon is to maintain a population of at least 1.8 million individuals within the area sampled by the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey. This is based on the North American Waterfowl Management Plan's goal of 2,596,000 individuals across the survey's full range, but adjusted to reflect the average proportion of the breeding population in Canada (68%). Data from the Canadian portion of the range indicate that American Wigeon is currently below its goal range.
Designation | Geographic Area | Status | CITATION |
---|---|---|---|
Wild Species | Canada | Secure | |
IUCN | Global | Least Concern |
American Wigeons are almost entirely vegetarian, eating mostly plants and even grazing on lawns and fields. On the west coast of Canada, wintering birds often feed on marine plants and algae at low tide.
American Wigeon is reported year-round in Canada, with slight peaks during spring and fall migration. Though many leave Canada in winter, detection remains high as wintering birds are easily seen where waterfowl congregate.
Nesting period starts between late April and late May and ends between mid-July and late July, depending on the region. Before or after this period, the probability of an active nest is lower.