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ADULT MALE Has a reddish orange head and upper neck, clearly demarcated from the black lower neck and breast. Vent is black and body is otherwise gray. In flight, gray upper wing coverts contrast with paler flight feathers. Note the bright yellowish eye.
ADULT FEMALE Has mainly buffy brownish plumage, with a faint pale "spectacle" and whitish throat.
JUVENILE Similar to adult female.
Dimensions
Length: 18-22"
Voice
Mostly silent..
Discussion
Diving duck that feeds on submerged plants and some invertebrates. Superficially similar to Canvasback, but does not have as bold a bill and has a rounded head shape. In flight all birds show pale underwings. Sexes are dissimilar in other respects. Uncommon at Mugu.