CANVASBACK DUCK (Aythya valisineria: aithya is Greek for seabird; valisneria comes from Vallisneria americana, the freshwater plant wild celery, which is one of the canasback's favorite food.)
OTHER NAMES: Bullneck, can, canard cheval, canny, canvas, gray duck, hickory-quaker, horse-duck, red-headed bullneck, sheldrake, and whiteback.
One of the largest North American diving ducks, the canvasback gets its name from its pale gray back and white sides which are delicately dotted and lined in a wavelike pattern resembling canvas fabric. Both males and females have long, sloping foreheads that in profile show a continuous line with the long, dark wedge-shaped bill. The male, or drake, has a rust-red head, black breast and rear, and a gray-white back. The female has a gray-white back, and a brown head and neck. Their eyes are like red rubies.
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