Colourful Wigeon.

As we move into winter, the vibrant rustic hues of the bright autumnal days changed into dull overcast greys; the landscapes often speckled or even fully coated by a white frost and recently completely obscured by a blinding white blanket of snow. During the same timespan our wintering species of ducks also change their coats, but in reverse, switching slowly from their duller eclipse plumage into their breeding finery.

Some would say that a female Wigeon is drab but just feast your eyes on the warm tones of rufous-browns and the diffuse mottling.

Like many species, the adult male Wigeon in eclipse plumage looks somewhat similar to its female counterpart but the change is quite dramatic. He now displays a much more sporty appearance; developing the distictive chestnut head split by the creamy-yellow band stretching from forehead into the crown; plus the unmistakable finely vermiculated grey upperparts, the pink breast and prominent white and black stern .

The days may be grey and cold but there is plenty of warm colours to be seen amongst our wildfowl.  FAB.

For more World Bird Wednesday images please check out The Pine River Review hosted by Springman.