Birders love a good chase. Not in the literal sense, but in going to a selected spot with the optics and waiting patiently for a particular bird to appear. Birds that have wandered out of their typical range are known as rare birds or rarities. Sometimes they fly in from across the country. Others have wandered over from northern Asia and Europe. A few of these are expected in Washington each year, such as the Pacific golden-plover, black-backed gull and Iceland gull.
But occasionally, a real showstopper appears. When word gets out, the chase is on. Extreme rarities bring birders in from across the country, such as the 2020 Cowlitz County Siberian accentor and the 2022 Snohomish County red-flanked bluetail. Both were Eurasian songbirds that quickly became highly prized additions to myriad birders’ life lists.
Many species, though not considered actual rarities, are somewhat uncommon visitors to West Sound every year. Most pass through in migration. Some are challenging to find but are expected in certain months in known locations. A few representatives of the unusual species will stay for the winter, including lesser scaup, eared grebe, hermit thrush and white-throated sparrow. Local birders delight in searching out these birds.
Another enjoyable bird to look for often hides in large flocks of wintering ducks. The American wigeon is a common resident of West Sound lakes, ponds, wetlands, estuaries and fields from fall through spring. Hidden within the flocks of dozens or hundreds is its cousin the Eurasian wigeon.
Wigeons are medium-sized, dabbling ducks that often feed alongside larger mallards. They tend to stay close to shore, utilizing the “bottoms-up” method of foraging for aquatic plants. A stubby, “gooselike” bill enables them to easily nibble on grass in fields and lawns.
Both wigeons are medium- to long-distance migrants. The American wigeon breeds across southern and central Canada, Alaska and throughout the upper plains states. It winters along the West Coast, southern United States and as far south as Panama and Colombia.
As the name suggests, the Eurasian wigeon breeds in Iceland and across northern Europe and Asia. It typically winters in portions of southern Europe and Africa, as well as India, China and Japan.
Occasionally, individual wigeons get mixed up with the wrong migratory flock. While birders in America are looking for a Eurasian wigeon in a flock of American wigeons, birders in Japan may be trying to find an American wigeon in a flock of Eurasian wigeons.
Male wigeons are easily differentiated. The American has a mostly brown body with prominent, iridescent green stripes on the side of the head, which contrast nicely against a white crown. The Eurasian has a mostly gray body and rusty colored head, with a less contrasty buffy crown. The easiest way to detect a Eurasian wigeon in a flock of American wigeons is to look for the unmistakable rusty head. The two species sometimes hybridize, so it’s possible to see a male wigeon with green stripes on a rusty-colored head.
Females are similar and thus more challenging to identify. As is typical with many ducks, female wigeons lack any bright coloration. The American has tannish gray tones, while the Eurasian tends to be browner.
Any place American wigeons hang out offers a chance of finding one or more Eurasian wigeons. The most reliable places in West Sound for spotting a wandering wigeon include the Port Orchard waterfront, Evergreen Rotary Park and Lions Park in Bremerton, and Port Gamble.
Wigeons split their time between land and water. They are mostly vegetarian, eating various aquatic and land plants while supplementing their diet with occasional insects.
Wigeons startle easily. When feeling threatened by a perceived predator, a noisy flock can suddenly take to the air and fly around in a flurry until it settles back down again, often in the same area.
Courtship begins in winter. Both wigeons nest in a scrape on the ground within a quarter mile of water. Clutch size varies but is usually six to 12 eggs for Americans and seven to nine for Eurasians. Females incubate the eggs, which hatch after 22 to 25 days. Males do not help raise the chicks, but instead leave the breeding grounds early to molt and get a head start on migration. Females and immature wigeons begin migration later.
Although it appears to be common, the American wigeon population declined by 56% from 1966 to 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. The Eurasian wigeon has experienced steep declines in Russia since the 1980s. Droughts diminish suitable breeding sites. Habitat loss or degradation on wintering grounds is another threat to waterfowl.
When there is no rare bird to chase, the Eurasian wigeon is fun to pursue. This wanderer from afar reminds us that everyone bears responsibility in caring for our common home.
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