Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Garganey
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Spatula querquedula
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Voice
Song
Song
Song
How to recognize it
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34–41 cm long
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Breeding male: broad white crescent above the eye on a brown head
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Female: dark brown above, whitish below with blurred dark markings
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Male's mating call: dry rattle "krrer-krrerrerr"
About the species
On a male, a broad white crescent sweeps above the eye across a rich brown head, while the breast stays brown and the rest of the body looks grey. A pale blue patch edged in white flashes on the wing in flight. Females are darker and subtler, with brown upperparts and a pale underside marked by soft, dark streaks.
The male's mating call is a dry, rolling crackle, often rendered as "krrer-krrerr"; females are quieter and may give a faint quack. On the water, it skims food from the surface instead of tipping up, and females often shake their heads while dabbling. It lifts off readily and flies with quick twists.
Look for it on shallow marshes and steppe lakes, where grassy margins meet open water. During the breeding season it takes mostly molluscs and other small invertebrates; in winter its diet shifts toward seeds and other plant food. It breeds across Eurasia and migrates south for winter, reaching Africa and parts of southern Asia.
Where to find
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In spring and summer, look at small, quiet ponds with grassy banks for Garganey skimming food from the surface rather than tipping up.
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At shallow lakes and river floodplains among low reeds and sedges, listen in spring for the male's dry rattling call — he calls from the water or in flight.
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During migration, scan marshy sea coasts and bays for brief stopovers on the water.
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In winter in Africa and South Asia, look for large flocks on river deltas and marshy floodwaters.
