Listen

Sound clips and movies require Adobe Flash player.

Latin name

Anas strepera

Family

Swans, ducks and geese (Anatidae)

Overview

This very grey-coloured dabbling duck, a little smaller than the mallard, and with an obvious black rear end. It shows a white wing patch in flight. When seen close up the grey colour is made up of exquisitely fine barring and speckling. It nests in low numbers in the UK and is an Amber List species.

Where to see them

Visit gravel pits, lakes, reservoirs and coastal wetlands in winter. To see breeding gadwalls look in the shallow edges of lakes and gravel pits where there is vegetation - mainly in the Midlands and south-east of England, eastern central Scotland, eastern Northern Ireland and the south-east of Ireland, and south-east Wales.

When to see them

Anytime of year, but chances are better in winter when numbers increase as birds migrate to spend the winter in the UK, away from harsher continental weather.

What they eat

Stems, leaves and seeds.

Estimated numbers

* UK breeding is the number of pairs breeding annually. UK wintering is the number of individuals present from October to March. UK passage is the number of individuals passing through on migration in spring and/or autumn.

Distribution

In the UK

S and E England, and parts of Wales, N Ireland and Scotland

Please note that the map is only intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.

Audio is from commercial recordings Bird Songs and Calls of Britain and Europe on 4 CDs or Bird Sounds of Europe & North-west Africa, copyright WildSounds & CEBA (www.wildsounds.com, (UK) +44 (0) 1263 741100)

2 illustrations 12

Male

Female

Similar birds

Mallard

Pintail