American Wigeon (Mareca americana) is in the Ducks, Geese, and Swans family (Anatidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 56,458 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph American Wigeon: observations by month (U.S.)
About American Wigeon
The American wigeon (Mareca americana), also called a baldpate, is a species of dabbling duck found in North America. Formerly assigned to Anas, this species is classified with the other wigeons in the dabbling duck genus Mareca. It is the New World counterpart of the Eurasian wigeon. Mareca is from the Brazilian-Portuguese word Marréco for a small duck and americana refers to America.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
American Wigeon by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 20,616 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Texas | 7,331 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Washington | 5,517 | March | Oct–Apr |
| Oregon | 3,258 | December | Oct–Apr |
| Arizona | 3,170 | December | Oct–Mar |
| Colorado | 1,844 | November | Oct–Apr |
| Alaska | 1,273 | May | May–Sep |
| Maryland | 1,192 | February | Dec–Mar |
| New Mexico | 1,179 | November | Oct–Apr |
| New York | 1,035 | March | Oct–Apr |
| Florida | 824 | January | Nov–Mar |
| Idaho | 740 | March | Oct–Apr |
| Ohio | 652 | March | Oct–Mar |
| New Jersey | 645 | October | Oct–Jan |
| Wyoming | 617 | June | May–Sep |
| Nevada | 599 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Virginia | 515 | February | Nov–Mar |
| Utah | 444 | March | Oct–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 400 | March | Feb–Mar |
| North Carolina | 362 | December | Nov–Feb |
| Massachusetts | 361 | February | Oct–Mar |
| Wisconsin | 348 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Illinois | 340 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Michigan | 327 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Minnesota | 277 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Montana | 236 | March | Mar–Jun |
| Kansas | 229 | March | Feb–Apr |
| Tennessee | 229 | January | Nov–Feb |
| Oklahoma | 192 | February | Oct–Apr |
| Connecticut | 180 | February | Oct–Mar |
| Vermont | 152 | March | Mar–Apr |
| Alabama | 131 | January | Dec–Jan |
| Maine | 112 | December | Oct–Mar |
| South Carolina | 107 | January | Jan–Feb |
| Rhode Island | 104 | February | Nov–Mar |
| Louisiana | 103 | November | Oct–Feb |
| Nebraska | 96 | March | Feb–Apr |
| South Dakota | 96 | April | Mar–Apr |
| Delaware | 87 | March | Oct–Mar |
| Indiana | 82 | March | Oct–Apr |
| Hawaii | 72 | November | Oct–Nov |
| Missouri | 72 | March | Nov–Apr |
| Georgia | 65 | January | Nov–Feb |
| North Dakota | 61 | May | Mar–Jun |
| Iowa | 39 | April | Mar–Apr |
| West Virginia | 39 | March | Feb–Mar |
| Mississippi | 32 | November | Oct–Dec |
| Kentucky | 27 | March | Nov–Mar |
| Arkansas | 25 | November | Oct–Mar |
| District of Columbia | 18 | January | Oct–Mar |
| New Hampshire | 6 | March | Feb–Mar |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph American Wigeon?
Nationally, January has the most observations, with the main season from October to March.
Where is American Wigeon most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Washington.