Breeds in Texas, westward, and throughout the United States, British Provinces, and Labrador. Columbia River. Common in autumn and spring along the Middle Atlantic Districts. Abundant in the Southern and Western States, in winter.
Dusky Duck, Anas obscura, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 141.
Anas obscura, Bonap. Syn. p. 384.
Dusky Duck, Anas obscura, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 392.
Dusky Duck, Anas obscura, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 15.
388. 3. Anas Breweri, Aud. Brewer's Duck.
Plate CCCXXXVIII. Male.
Very nearly allied to the Mallard, but with the bill narrower, no recurved feathers in the tail, and the feet dull yellow; the speculum more green without white bands, and a large patch of light red on the side of the head; bill dull yellow, dusky along the ridge; head and upper part of neck deep glossy green; an elongated patch of pale reddish-yellow from the base of the bill over the cheeks to a considerable way down the neck; a space immediately over and behind the eye light dull purple; a narrow ring of pale yellowish-red on the middle of the neck, of which the lower part is dull brownish-red, the feathers with a transverse band of dusky, and edged with paler; upper parts dull greyish-brown, transversely undulated with dusky; smaller wing-coverts without undulations, but each feather with a dusky bar behind another of light dull yellow; first row of smaller coverts tipped with black; primaries and their coverts light brownish-grey; some of the outer secondaries similar, the next five or six duck-green, the next light grey with a dusky patch toward the end; rump and upper tail-coverts black, as are the parts under the tail, excepting two longitudinal white bands; tail-feathers light brownish-grey, edged with whitish; all the rest of the lower parts greyish-white edged with yellow, beautifully undulated with dusky lines, on the middle of the breast these lines less numerous, and each feather with a reddish-grey central streak.
Male, 23, 39.
One specimen procured in Louisiana.
Brewer's Duck, Anas Breweri, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 302.
389. 4. Anas strepera, Linn. Gadwall Duck.—Violon.