I loved this! I was blessed enough 4 winters ago to meet my first pair of widgeons. I help rescue wild waterfowl at a local park. They unfortunately fall victim to the catch and release fishing mess that is everywhere. Mostly mallards and mallard hybrid but low and behold my little Stripe&Priss Missy. They stayed the entire winter 3 yrs ago. Left in mid March. The next 3 yrs the female Priss Missy came back alone like clock work. She was tiny but mighty. She did not take any crap from those bigger mallards. I absolutely loved her. This is the first year she didn't come. I did gain 2 green winged teal males! That was a surprise. We named them Lil Finley & Lil Archie. I am in love with waterfowl. Birds in general...but waterfowl are not only super intelligent, they're so funny! Especially the mallards. Such personalities! Thank you for this read! I'm sharing it with my husband. He in the last 3 yrs fell in love with the ducks as well. He said "what did you do to me?". I said "the ducks did that...not me!".
I have been recently introduced to black bellied whistling ducks. They live in Central America and one small portion of Florida. They like to nest in trees, lay their eggs in other duck's nests and they whistle before dawn, throughout the day and into the dusk. It's a lovely sound. https://ebird.org/species/bbwduc/
A ring-pull duck - love that idea! I’ll never look at a Wigeon. In the same way again.
I might have to reconsider comparing birds to human toys, given that the birds did it first!
I loved this! I was blessed enough 4 winters ago to meet my first pair of widgeons. I help rescue wild waterfowl at a local park. They unfortunately fall victim to the catch and release fishing mess that is everywhere. Mostly mallards and mallard hybrid but low and behold my little Stripe&Priss Missy. They stayed the entire winter 3 yrs ago. Left in mid March. The next 3 yrs the female Priss Missy came back alone like clock work. She was tiny but mighty. She did not take any crap from those bigger mallards. I absolutely loved her. This is the first year she didn't come. I did gain 2 green winged teal males! That was a surprise. We named them Lil Finley & Lil Archie. I am in love with waterfowl. Birds in general...but waterfowl are not only super intelligent, they're so funny! Especially the mallards. Such personalities! Thank you for this read! I'm sharing it with my husband. He in the last 3 yrs fell in love with the ducks as well. He said "what did you do to me?". I said "the ducks did that...not me!".
Small but mighty is right(y) for a wigeon. May they continue to inspire adoration in the unsuspecting. ✊
I have been recently introduced to black bellied whistling ducks. They live in Central America and one small portion of Florida. They like to nest in trees, lay their eggs in other duck's nests and they whistle before dawn, throughout the day and into the dusk. It's a lovely sound. https://ebird.org/species/bbwduc/
What a wonderful noise, I'd not heard that before. Hardly like a duck at all (but very like a plastic duck toy we once bought our dog).
Love the wigeon exchange scheme 😆
They do seem to have it all thought out.