The American Wigeon, sometimes known as the ?Baldpate? for the light patch on the top of its head, is relatively common in migration on area lakes. There is little open water in the Smokies so most ducks represent individuals that have wandered or strayed from more established flight paths or water bodies. This species may be more common during migration in the reservoirs along the Park?s southwestern boundary than is reported.

There are two park records to date: mid-November 1940 at Metcalf Bottoms on the Little River and a winter-killed specimen on Newfound Gap Road in early November 1950 (Stupka 1963).

References:

Stupka, A. 1963. Notes on the Birds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

Gough, G. A., Sauer, J. R., Iliff, M. Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter. 1998. Version 97.1. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD.