canvasback
noun
can·vas·back
ˈkan-vəs-ˌbak 
: a North American wild duck (Aythya valisineria) that has a reddish-brown head, black breast, and whitish body and is characterized especially by the elongate sloping profile of the bill and head
Examples of canvasback in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Afternoons gave a choice of bass fishing or snipe shooting, and the club’s Cajun guides each had a personal territory that afforded specialized shooting: mallards, teal, canvasbacks, and others.
—
Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
Like the hen redhead, the female canvasback is drab.
—M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023
Canvasback Duck Habitat While canvasbacks are omnivorous, their diet primarily consists of vegetative material, namely wild celery.
—M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023
In the Pacific Flyway, the Columbia River sees its share of canvasbacks, as does the San Francisco Bay.
—M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023
Five Iceland gulls and a king eider at Black Rock Beach in Cohasset, a canvasback and three tree swallows at Beaver Pond in Franklin and a black vulture at Blue Hills Reservation.
—Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Mar. 2023
The daily bag limit in each zone can include no more than four mallards (of which two may be hens), three wood ducks, two canvasbacks, two redheads, two black ducks and one pintail.
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2023
My ancient canvasback holds eight lines.
—T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 17 Dec. 2020
Worcester County: Two sandhill cranes at Dexter Drumlin in Lancaster, a canvasback at Coachlace Pond in Clinton, 30 tree swallows in South Grafton, seven black vultures at Roosevelt Park in Blackstone and four continuing trumpeter swans in the vicinity of Riverdale Street in Northbridge.
—Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Mar. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nash Buckingham, Outdoor Life, 19 June 2025
Like the hen redhead, the female canvasback is drab.
—M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023
Canvasback Duck Habitat While canvasbacks are omnivorous, their diet primarily consists of vegetative material, namely wild celery.
—M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023
In the Pacific Flyway, the Columbia River sees its share of canvasbacks, as does the San Francisco Bay.
—M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023
Five Iceland gulls and a king eider at Black Rock Beach in Cohasset, a canvasback and three tree swallows at Beaver Pond in Franklin and a black vulture at Blue Hills Reservation.
—Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Mar. 2023
The daily bag limit in each zone can include no more than four mallards (of which two may be hens), three wood ducks, two canvasbacks, two redheads, two black ducks and one pintail.
—Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2023
My ancient canvasback holds eight lines.
—T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 17 Dec. 2020
Worcester County: Two sandhill cranes at Dexter Drumlin in Lancaster, a canvasback at Coachlace Pond in Clinton, 30 tree swallows in South Grafton, seven black vultures at Roosevelt Park in Blackstone and four continuing trumpeter swans in the vicinity of Riverdale Street in Northbridge.
—Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Canvasback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canvasback. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
canvasback
noun
can·vas·back
-ˌbak
: a North American wild duck with a reddish brown head and black breast
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share