Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Gadwall
Copied!
Mareca strepera
Copied!
Voice
Call
Joost van Bruggen
Song
Sonothèque ADVL
How to recognize it
-
Medium-sized duck, a bit smaller than a mallard
-
Drake grey overall, with black rear end and chestnut wing panel
-
White speculum shows well in flight, belly white
-
Female plain light brown, bill dark orange-edged
About the species
The gadwall has a quiet, understated look. In breeding plumage, the drake is especially easy to notice by its overall grey tone, dark rear end, and the bright wing patch that stands out in flight.
It is usually a calm, quiet duck, except during courtship. Then the male stretches up, bobs his head and tail, and gives a deep, rough call, while the female answers with a sharper quack.
It favors open water with shallow feeding areas and dense fringe vegetation. It mainly eats aquatic plants, and in winter it moves to coasts and bays, where it often joins mixed flocks.
Did you know?
-
Loses 16% of her weight on the nest
An incubating female gadwall burns through up to 16 per cent of her body weight while sitting on the eggs.
Where to find
-
Along quiet ponds, backwaters, and shallow lake edges — especially where reeds and water plants line the shore, it feeds by tipping forward with its head submerged.
-
On canal banks, bays, and larger city lakes with thick fringe vegetation — usually hugging the reed edge rather than the middle of the water.
-
Near small islands in open water — it often rests low and still, then makes short swims between patches of plants.
-
In spring, listen for the low grunting display call and brief chases across the surface.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Mareca strepera Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Gadwall Encyclopedia article