Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) lives in freshwater wetlands across North America. It feeds on aquatic plants seeds. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Canvasback
- The canvasback is the biggest diving duck in North America and the largest member of the genus Aythya. Measuring 48-56 cm in length and weighing 862-1 588 g, it rivals a mallard in size but has a heavier, more compact build that distinguishes it. Its wingspan of 79-89 cm adds to its bulk, making it the most substantial diving duck on the continent.
- The canvasback favours the tubers of sago pondweed, which can constitute its entire diet at times. Its large webbed feet and specialised bill enable it to dive and dig these tubers from the substrate. In the late 1930s research showed that about four-fifths of the food it consumed was plant material, underscoring its strong herbivorous tendency.
- In the early 1950s an estimated 225 000 canvasbacks wintered in Chesapeake Bay, representing half of the North American population at that time. By 1985 that number had dropped to about 50 000, only one-tenth of the continental total. The decline coincided with loss of submerged aquatic vegetation, which had previously supported the large wintering flock.
- A few canvasbacks have managed the trans-Atlantic journey, with recorded sightings in the United Kingdom. The species is known to cross the ocean in small numbers, and observers noted a bird in a Kent quarry in December 1996 followed by another in Norfolk the next month. Since those first records, at least five additional sightings have been confirmed in England, showing that the occasional long-distance vagrant does occur.
- Canvasbacks sometimes lay their eggs in the nests of other canvasbacks, and redheads often parasitise those clutches. Their nests are bulky structures built from marsh vegetation and lined with down, typically containing a clutch of five to eleven greenish-drab eggs. By using another bird's nest, a female can reduce the effort of nest construction while still benefiting from the protective cover of emergent vegetation.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeNorth America
HabitatFreshwater wetlands
DietAquatic plants seeds
About the Canvasback
As the canvasback glides effortlessly across the water, its sleek, chestnut-brown body leaves a trail of ripples in its wake, a testament to the elegance and refinement of this North American duck. With its distinctive red head and angular profile, the canvasback moves through the world with a quiet confidence, its webbed feet propelling it with powerful strokes as it searches for the aquatic plants and mollusks that sustain it. In the fading light of day, the canvasback's soft, whispery calls echo across the marshes and wetlands, a haunting serenade that underscores the enduring beauty of this remarkable creature.
Hear the Canvasback, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
