Gadwall (Mareca strepera) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Gadwalls are widespread North American ducks whose numbers have risen greatly since the 1980s. The male's finely patterned gray body, black rear end, and white wing patch are subtle but dependable field marks.

Appearance

Appearance: Gadwalls are 18.1–22.4 in (46–57 cm) long. Males are finely patterned gray-brown with a black rear end, while females are mottled brown; both sexes have a white wing patch that is easiest to see in flight.

Look-alikes

MallardAnas platyrhynchos

Female Gadwalls have a thinner, darker bill and a white wing patch. Female Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) have a broader orange-and-dark bill and a blue wing patch bordered with white.

Why they get mixed upThe females are similarly sized, mottled brown ducks.

American WigeonMareca americana

A male American Wigeon (Mareca americana) has a pale crown and green eye patch, while a male Gadwall has a plain brown head and black rear end. In flight, the wigeon's white area is a larger shoulder patch, while the Gadwall's smaller white patch sits on the trailing inner wing.

Why they get mixed upBoth are medium-sized s that often join mixed winter flocks.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: marshes
ponds and reservoirs
shallow estuaries
Range: They breed mainly in the Great Plains and prairie regions of the United States and Canada. In winter they occur widely across the central and southern United States and Mexico.
Seasonal presence: migrant and winter resident; local breeder
Preferred conditions: They favor shallow water with abundant plants growing underwater or rising above the surface.
When it’s recorded: Recorded year-round, every year
34,347 observations in the US · 10 years · for referenceChoose a state

Behavior

Diet: Aquatic leaves, stems, roots, and seeds make up much of the diet. Females take more during egg laying, when they need extra protein.
Activity: This dabbling duck tips forward to reach submerged plants instead of diving deeply.
Social life: Gadwalls mix with other ducks and sometimes snatch vegetation brought to the surface by coots or diving ducks.

Life cycle

Nest: The female makes a ground nest in dense vegetation, often on an island or in upland cover near a wetland.
Clutch size: 7–12 eggs

Name and classification

About the name: It was formerly called Anas strepera. The widespread Common Gadwall (M. s. strepera) and the rarely recorded Coues’s Gadwall (M. s. couesi) are named .

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
Status: Wetland and nearby upland conservation has helped the North American population.

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