Quick identification
Redhead (Aythya americana)
A compact diving duck. Males have a cinnamon-red head, black chest and pale gray body; females are warm brown with a rounded head.
Season and local range: Abundant Lower Laguna Madre winter visitor.
Habitat and island setting
Open shallow lagoon water and seagrass meadows, sometimes in very large offshore rafts.
Where to look
Scan Laguna Madre from bayside overlooks, the causeway and mainland refuge viewpoints in the cooler months. A spotting scope is far more useful than approaching. Birds may move as tides, wind, fronts, water levels and activity at the site change.
What the bird is doing
Winter flocks feed and rest on the lagoon. Boat operators should avoid driving through rafts; repeated flushing consumes energy the birds need for winter.
Watching birds
Use binoculars or a camera zoom, stay on public paths and leave feeding, resting and nesting birds enough room to continue normal behavior. If a bird stops feeding, stands alert, calls repeatedly or moves away because of you, increase the distance. Check access information in the South Padre Island birding guide before making a special trip.