21 inches long. The Canvasback is a relatively large diving duck. It has a distinctive head shape with a forehead that slopes from a somewhat peaked crown merging with a long black bill. The male has a chestnut head and neck. The breast and tail are black. The body is whitish-gray. The female is similar to the male except it has a brownish head and neck. The eye of the male is red and that of the female is dark brown.
The Canvasback is somewhat uncommon in the Omaha area and is very seldom seen in the Great Marsh in the Forest. The best times to see it would be March and then in late October/early November.
The Canvasback derives its name from the color of its back. The number of birds has declined significantly but seems to have stabilized.
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