Male canvasbacks have a rusty red head and neck, a black breast and a white body. (babyruthinmd/Flickr)
The canvasback is a large diving duck with a distinctive long, sloping facial profile. It visits the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers from autumn through spring.
Appearance:
Head slopes into its long, dark bill, giving it a distinctive silhouette
Varies in color depending on sex
Males have a rusty red head and neck, a black breast, a white body and a black tail
Females have a brownish head and chest, a whitish body and a brownish tail
Grows 18-22 inches long
Habitat:
Found in shallow, vegetated areas on the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers
Large flocks often congregate over deeper, open waters
Range:
Visits the Bay region beginning in December
Leaves in spring to spend the summer in the Prairie Pothole region of North and South Dakota and southern Canada
One of the fastest flying ducks, reaching speeds of 55 miles per hour in the air
Can be identified in flight by its white body and black chest
Voice:
Usually quiet during non-breeding season
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
Begins courting and forming pairs in early spring, before it leaves the Bay region for its northern breeding grounds
The oldest recorded canvasback was 22 years old
Other Facts:
Gets part of its scientific name, valisineria, from the scientific name of wild celery, Vallisneria americana, its favorite food
The largest diving duck species
Canvasbacks are powerful swimmers. However, like other diving ducks, they are clumsy on land because their legs are located far back on the body.
Nearly half of North America’s canvasbacks used to winter in the Chesapeake Bay region. That figure has since declined to about 20 percent because of lack of available food. However, canvasback populations appear to be slowly recovering due to better protection measures.
