Good evening, everyone! As the cold season arrives, we are visited by small friends from afar. Their name is the Eurasian Wigeon. Let’s introduce a bit of their charm.
The Eurasian Wigeon is about 48cm in length, roughly the size of a Carrion Crow. The males are characterized by their cream and chestnut-colored heads. As autumn deepens, around mid-November, they don even more beautiful breeding plumage. The reddish-brown and cream-colored heads are very adorable. On the other hand, females have a subdued brown base color, but within that, a deep reddish-brown stands out, radiating their own kind of beauty.
Eurasian Wigeons freely roam around various watersides, including lakes, rivers, and coasts. They love not only freshwater but also seaweed and algae. Sometimes, they enjoy napping in the middle of a lake in groups, or nibbling on seaweed at sea at night. Peeking into the lives of the Eurasian Wigeons like this, somehow warms the heart.
The males’ high-pitched “whew, whew” and the females’ low “grr, grr” gently envelop the winter waterside’s tranquility. The Japanese name comes from the male’s beautifully colored head feathers. The beauty, likened to scarlet, has fascinated many people over the ages.
Time spent with the Eurasian Wigeons seems to make one forget the winter cold. If you have a chance to visit watersides next time, be sure to look for the Eurasian Wigeons. Encounters with them will surely become a small winter delight for you. And let’s keep their images in our hearts until they depart on their long journey again in spring.
