Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Eurasian Wigeon
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Mareca penelope
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How to recognize it
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Stout dabbling duck, smaller than a Mallard
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Drake: chestnut head with a creamy crown stripe
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White upperwing patch and green speculum
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Often in tight flocks; male gives a clear whistled call
About the species
The Eurasian Wigeon often moves in tight flocks, feeding by dabbling in shallow water or grazing along wet ground. Outside the breeding season it is a social duck, and its call carries well: the male gives a clear whistle, while the female answers with a low, rough note.
It breeds near water, usually in low, sheltered places with cover close by. The nest is a simple hollow on dry ground, and the young leave it after hatching and grow fast enough to fly in about 40 to 45 days.
You are most likely to meet it on open wetlands, marshes, wet grasslands, and quiet lakes with muddy edges. It eats mostly plant material, including water plants, grasses, seeds, and in winter even algae and eelgrass, and most populations move south for the cold season.
Where to find
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On quiet city ponds and canal edges — especially where reeds and sedges reach the water, because Eurasian Wigeon often dabble in the shallows or loaf in tight flocks on open water.
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Along wet banks and waterlogged lawns near embankments — watch for short grazing walks across the grass, almost goose-like.
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On sheltered winter inlets and windproof basins — look for large ducks resting near the reed fringe, then giving a clear whistled call.
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In early spring on flooded low spots and puddled ground after rain — they gather in noisy groups and pick food from the water surface.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Mareca penelope Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Eurasian wigeon Encyclopedia article