Species authority page

Canvasback

Aythya valisineria · Ducks · Waterfowl · Migratory game birds

Canvasback (Aythya valisineria): Long sloping 'ski-jump' profile of head and bill. Drake: chestnut head, black bill, black chest and whitish back. This profile does not establish whether taking it is legal anywhere.

Certified rules currently represented in Hunt: coverage in development. This is coverage, not a legal answer.

Canvasback — verified North Ground species photograph
North Ground · All rights reserved
Scientific name
Aythya valisineria
Family
Anatidae
Range
Breeds from Alaska and western Canada through the northern Great Plains; winters on the Great Lakes, Pacific coast and mid-Atlantic coast.
Biology

How to identify it

Long sloping 'ski-jump' profile of head and bill. [1]

Drake: chestnut head, black bill, black chest and whitish back. [1]

Hen: pale tan head and neck contrasting with a dark bill and grayish body. [1]

Larger than related diving ducks. [1]

Species it is confused with

Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.

Field notes

  • Identification Do not identify Canvasback from colour alone. Compare structure, size, range and the listed similar species before making a field decision.[1]
Field knowledge

Where it lives

Breeds on shallow freshwater prairie marshes; winters on protected bays, estuaries, coastal salt bays and interior lakes. [1]

Field knowledge

How it behaves

Dives in shallow water for leaves, roots and seeds of aquatic plants (pondweeds, wild celery), plus mollusks and insects. [1]

Drakes grunt or croak; hens quack. [1]

Migrates late in fall and early in spring, often in V formations. [1]

Regulatory handoff

Where it is listed for legal take

These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.

Where legal take is listed

Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.

Geospatial intelligence

Where it is found

Breeds from Alaska and western Canada through the northern Great Plains; winters on the Great Lakes, Pacific coast and mid-Atlantic coast.

Biology

Sources

Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.

  1. National Audubon Society · reviewed 2026-09-30

    National Audubon Society