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  • Gadwall

Gadwall

Gadwall (male)
Gadwall (male)
Gadwall (female)
Gadwall (female)
  • Scientific name: Anas strepera
  • Bird family: Ducks, geese and swans
  • UK conservation status: Amber
  • Protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Gadwall call audio

Your browser does not support this audio feature.

Matthias Feuersenger, Xeno-canto

Key information

The gadwall is a 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.

What they eat:

Stems, leaves and seeds.

Measurements:

Length:
46-56cm
Wingspan:
84-95 cm
Weight:
650-900g

Population:

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.
UK breeding:
1,200 summer nesting pairs
UK wintering:
25,000 birds

Identifying features:

This bird species has different identifying features depending on sex/age/season.

Gadwall (male)

Gadwall male
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey White
Leg colour: Orange
Beak: Black Long Duck-like Chunky
Natural habitats: Grassland Marine and intertidal Wetland

Gadwall (female)

Gadwall female
Feather colour: Black Brown Cream/buff Grey White
Leg colour: Orange
Beak: Black Brown Orange Long Duck-like Chunky
Natural habitats: Grassland Marine and intertidal Wetland

Similar birds:

Mallard male
Mallard
Male pintail
Pintail

Where and when to see them

The gadwall visits gravel pits, lakes, reservoirs and coastal wetlands and estuaries 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.

* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  • Resident
  • Passage
  • Summer
  • Winter
Gadwall distribution map

Gadwalls can be seen 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.

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RSPB reserves

  • RSPB Rye Meads
  • RSPB Baron's Haugh
  • RSPB Fen Drayton Lakes
  • RSPB Loch of Kinnordy

Video

Gadwall pair in water.

Gadwall pair in water.

Gadwall video screenshot

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