Wigeon
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Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae

[Photo] Female Ferruginous Pochard (Aythya nyroca) & male Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) at Purbasthali in Burdwan District of West Bengal, India. Date: 20.01.07. Author: J.M.Garg (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:J.M.Garg).

Copyright (C) 2007 J. M. Garg Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

List of Wigeons
- Eurasian Wigeon, Anas penelope (previously Mareca penelope)
- American Wigeon, Anas americana
- Chiloe Wigeon, Anas sibilatrix

Wigeon are dabbling ducks in the genus Anas. There are three species: the Eurasian Wigeon, the American Wigeon and the Chil??e Wigeon. Widgeon is an alternative, though archaic, spelling; the American Wigeon has in the past been known as Baldpate.

Morphology
All three are similarly-shaped, with a steep forehead and bulbous rear to the head. Males have a distinctive breeding plumage, in their eclipse plumage they resemble females, which are similar in appearance year-round.

Taxonomy
The thee species closest relatives are believed to be the Gadwall and the Falcated Duck and the five are together sometimes separated from Anas into their own genus Mareca.

Hybridisation
All three wigeon species hybridise in captivity, and American and Eurasian Wigeons hybridise in the wild. An American Wigeon × Mallard hybrid has also been recorded

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wigeon

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