American Wigeon
American WigeonAmerican WigeonAmerican WigeonAmerican Wigeon

American Wigeon

Mareca americana

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
75 Verified sightings at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks From 2019 to 2026
16,251 Verified sightings across all 34 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the American Wigeon

The American wigeon (Mareca americana), also known as the baldpate, is a species of dabbling duck found in North America. Formerly assigned to Anas, this species is classified with the other wigeons in the dabbling duck genus Mareca. It is the New World counterpart of the Eurasian wigeon.

The American wigeon was formally described in 1789 by German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other ducks, geese, and swans in the genus Anas and coined the binomial name Anas americana. Gmelin based his description on Edme-Louis Daubenton's hand-colour plate of "Le Canard Jensen, de la Louisiane" and Thomas Pennant's description of the "American wigeon" in his Arctic Zoology. Pennant had been sent a specimen from New York. The American wigeon is now placed with the Eurasian wigeon and three other dabbling ducks in the genus Mareca that was introduced in 1824 by the English naturalist James Francis Stephens. The name of the genus comes from the Portuguese word Marréco for a small duck. The species is considered to be monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.

An alternative common name is... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Gadwall
LC

Gadwall

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mareca strepera

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Merganser
LC

Common Merganser

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mergus merganser

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Ruddy Duck
LC

Ruddy Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Oxyura jamaicensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Ring-necked Duck
LC

Ring-necked Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya collaris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Canada Goose
LC

Canada Goose

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Branta canadensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Cinnamon Teal
LC

Cinnamon Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula cyanoptera

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Wood Duck
LC

Wood Duck

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aix sponsa

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Northern Shoveler
LC

Northern Shoveler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula clypeata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Common Teal
LC

Common Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas crecca

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Bufflehead
LC

Bufflehead

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Bucephala albeola

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Blue-winged Teal
LC

Blue-winged Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula discors

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
2 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
3 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~20%
4 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
5 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
6 Jaragua National Park 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
~20%
7 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
8 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
9 Katmai National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
11 Caroni Swamp 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago
<5%
12 Ciénaga de Zapata 🇨🇺 Cuba
<5%
13 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
14 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
15 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
16 Vatnajokull National Park 🇮🇸 Iceland
<5%
17 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
18 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
19 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
20 Kenai Fjords National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
21 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
22 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
23 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
24 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
25 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
26 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
27 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
28 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
29 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
30 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
31 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
32 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
33 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
34 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a American Wigeon in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a American Wigeon sighting in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, based on 75 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see American Wigeon in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks?

January has the highest sighting rate for American Wigeon in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in our monthly data.

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