Redhead Duck Watching in Oregon

The Redhead is an increasingly rare variety of duck, which is uncommon in most Oregon except for a short time each year. Their numbers in North America have been dwindling in recent decades due to loss of their natural marsh habitat. With a striking red head and a mostly gray body, the males are fairly easy to recognize when they are present, though the brownish head of the female is a bit less distinct.The female Redhead often uses a strategy of laying eggs in the nests of other ducks, and the low hatch rate for these also contributes to their smaller numbers. They are surface divers, and they eat mostly underwater plants, but they also will feed on mollusks when given the opportunity.

Habitats for Redhead Ducks

Though not in great numbers, the Redhead Duck does breed and spend summers in the eastern two thirds of Oregon. They prefer marsh areas for breeding time, and the rest of the year they are drawn to any shallow open fresh water.

Best seasons to see Redhead Ducks in Oregon

In the eastern parts of Oregon the Redhead is often found during summer breeding season, though in the western parts of the state they are typically only seen during spring as part of their migration north to the northern Rocky Mountain states and provinces.

Redhead Ducks in Oregon summary

Typical habitat: Marshes during summer, open water other times
Seasons: Spring and summer
Abundance: Not too common in Oregon

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