A male redhead duck with a reddish head swimming. — Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Redhead

Aythya americana

A diving duck whose males have cinnamon-red heads; females often lay eggs in other ducks' nests.

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About the Redhead

Redheads weigh 1.5 to 3 pounds, about as much as a small chicken, and are 16.5 to 21 inches long. Only breeding males have the cinnamon-colored head. They breed on prairie ponds and marshes in the northern United States and Canada. About 80 percent winter on the Laguna Madre lagoon in Texas and in northern Mexico. They eat water plants' leaves, stems, seeds and roots, plus insects.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Aythya americana^[1]
Size: 16.5 to 21 inches long; about 30-inch wingspan.^[1]
Weight: 1.5 to 3 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: Up to 21 years in the wild.^[1]
Diet: Water plants' leaves, stems, seeds and roots, plus insects; sometimes mollusks and small fish.^[1]
Habitat: Prairie ponds and marshes; lakes, reservoirs and bays in winter.^[1]
Where it lives: Breeds in the northern U.S. and Canada; winters to the Gulf Coast, Mexico and the Caribbean.^[1]
Group life: Large mixed flocks in winter.^[1]
Babies: Often lays eggs in other ducks' nests; some females also raise their own clutch.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).^[2]

Fun facts

Some redhead 'dump nests' hold up to 87 eggs.^[1]
During courtship, male redheads make a cat-like meow.^[1]
About 80 percent of redheads spend winter on one lagoon system in Texas and northern Mexico.^[1]

Vocabulary

diving duck: A duck that dives underwater to find food.
brood parasite: A bird that lays its eggs in another bird's nest.
migrate: To travel from one region to another with the seasons.
clutch: A group of eggs laid at one time.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Bird HouseSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Redhead.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/redhead (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Aythya americana (Redhead).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22680367/137752425 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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