Canvas-back Duck

Canvas-back Duck (Fuligula valliseria), a common bird on the Atlantic coasts of the United States, abundant for instance in Chesapeake Bay. It belongs to the general group of wild ducks, but ornithologists have differed somewhat as to its generic title. The names Aythya, Nyroca, Aristonetta, Fulix, and Fuligula seem all applied to it. It is a handsome bird, especially in the somewhat larger and more decorative male sex. The popular name refers to the ashy white colour of the male's back, crossed by broken zigzag lines. F. americana or Red-head Duck is closely allied. Both, but especially the Canvas-back, are prized for the table.