Canvasback

About

A large diving duck with a distinctive sloping forehead and long sloped bill. Males have a rich chestnut-red head, black breast, and pale white-grey body; females are grey-brown. Named for its canvas-like grey back. Dives for aquatic roots and tubers, especially wild celery.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Wingspan	44.7 cm	17.6 in
Weight	1223.25 g	43.15 oz

Identification

Plumage

Males have rich chestnut-red head and neck; black breast; pale canvas-gray body; white flanks. Sloping forehead profile with dark red bill and red eye. Females gray-brown with reddish-brown head. Dimorphic diving duck.

Habitat & Range

Breeds on prairie potholes and boreal lakes across western North America. Winters on large open lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, and Chesapeake Bay. Sensitive to loss of prairie wetlands.

🏖️ Coastal 🌿 Wetland

Geographic Range

Breeds in wooded wetlands of Canada and the northern United States; winters in the southern US and Central America.

Diet & Feeding

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated by invertebrates.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

IUCN Red List

Behavior & Breeding

Nesting

Nest type: PL. Incubation: 23-29 days. Fledging: 63-77 days.

Clutch Size

2-16

Sound

Song

Male produces a low, cooing purr; female gives a harsh, rolling quacking series. Males whisper-call in rolling, cooing notes during courtship; female's harsh quacking is emphatic on North American marshes.

Taxonomy

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes (Waterfowl)
Family	Anatidae (Ducks, Geese & Swans)
Genus	Aythya
Species	Aythya valisineria

Distribution

Canvasback has been recorded in 8 countries.

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Present Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇫🇷 France 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇹🇼 Taiwan 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇺🇸 United States

External Databases

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Canvasback eat?

Eats molluscs, crustaceans, and aquatic invertebrates; dives in coastal and freshwater habitats; diet dominated by invertebrates.

Where does the Canvasback live?

Breeds on prairie potholes and boreal lakes across western North America. Winters on large open lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, and Chesapeake Bay. Sensitive to loss of prairie wetlands.

Is the Canvasback endangered?

The Canvasback has a conservation status of Least Concern.

How does the Canvasback nest?

Nest type: PL. Incubation: 23-29 days. Fledging: 63-77 days.

What does the Canvasback sound like?

Male produces a low, cooing purr; female gives a harsh, rolling quacking series. Males whisper-call in rolling, cooing notes during courtship; female's harsh quacking is emphatic on North American marshes.

How big is the Canvasback?

The Canvasback has a wingspan of 44.7 cm, weight of 1223.25 g.

What order and family does the Canvasback belong to?

The Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) belongs to the order Anseriformes and the family Anatidae.