W IG E O N .
WIGEON.
MAREC A PENELOPE {Linn.).
Anas penelope, Linn. S. N. i. p. 202 (1766) ; Naum. xi.
p. 724; Hewitson, ii. p. 412.
Mareca penelope, Macg. v. p. 83; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. p. 397;
Dresser, yi. p. 541.
Canard siffleur, French; Pfeif-Ente, German; Silbon,
Pato fraudscano, Spanish.
To most parts of Great Britain this well-known species
is an autumnal visitor, but it breeds pretty abundantly
in the north of Scotland and in smaller numbers in
certain parts of Ireland. The Wigeon differs from the
true Ducks and the Pochards not only in its habit of
feeding by day as well as by night, but also by grazing
on meadow-grass, after the manner of the Geese, and
by its comparatively light and active carriage on land.
It flocks in enormous numbers on our tidal estuaries
during the winter, and is the principal object of pursuit
of most of the coast gunners, its habits of swimming,
flying, and feeding on the mud in very close order often
afford excellent opportunities for “ heavy shots.”
The note of the male bird is a shrill double whistle,