Redhead

I've been wanting to see a redhead (duck) for some time. I finally spotted one in some photos of other ducks in Aransas NWR near Corpus Christi, Texas in November, then got some good photos of some at the Salton Sea State Park on January 7, then saw some just a few days ago at Bataquitos Lagoon on January 12. 

It is a diving duck built to forage underwater. Its legs are farther back on its body making it difficult to walk on land, its webbed feet are larger than those of dabbling ducks and its bill is larger to facilitate underwater foraging. In breeding season males have a copper head and neck, a pale blue bill with a black tip, a black breast, gray back and sides, white belly, and light black rump and tail. Non-breeding males have brown heads. The females stays the same color year-round. It has a yellow to brown head, a slate bill with a dark tip separated by a blue ring, a white belly and a gray to brown body. 

This poor photo of a redhead was taken in Aransas NWR in Texas. 

 

This and the next few photos are of redheads at Salton Sea State Park. 

The non-conforming duck is a greater scaup. 

This redhead, and the one below, were at Batiquitos Lagoon in Carlsbad.