The autumn waterfowl migration is gradually increasing along the Colorado Front Range and, at South Platte Park this morning, American wigeon led the way. I counted about 90 of these distinctive, surface-feeding ducks, more than double the number of any other species.
Among their cohorts were mallards, gadwall, northern shovelers, ring-necked ducks, buffleheads, green-winged teal, hooded mergansers, American coot, pied-billed grebes and a lone female pintail. Due to a strong south wind that will push our afternoon high to 70 degrees F, most of the terrestrial birds remained hidden in the shrubs and thickets.
American wigeon breed across Alaska, Canada and the northern U.S. and winter along the Pacific Coast and across the Southern U.S. and Mexico. They favor shallow rivers, ponds, lakes and bays were they feed primarily on aquatic plants; they may also consume insects when foraging in fields.
