Gadwall

Gadwall, male

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Gadwall, female, March

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1. Description
2. Similar Species
3. Sound
4. Range
5. Other Names

A common duck of lakes and ponds, the Gadwall appears drab from a distance. But up close, the male shows a remarkable pattern of intricate markings on all of its body feathers.

Description

• Size: 46-57 cm (18-22 in)
• Wingspan: 84 cm (33 in)
• Weight: 500-1250 g (17.65-44.13 ounces)

• Medium-sized duck.
• Gray body and paler gray head.
• Hind end black.
• White patch in wing, may be hidden.

Sex Differences

Male patterned in subtle gray, brown and black; female dull gray-brown without black hind end.

Immature

Similar to adult female.

Similar Species

• No other dabbling duck has a small square white patch at base of wings.
• All other dabblers that have a black rear end have white just in front of it.

Sound

A raspy "reb."

Range

Range Map

© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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Summer Range

Breeds from southeastern Alaska to the Great lakes southward to Texas and California. Greatest breeding densities in the prairie states and provinces. Also in central Eurasia.

Winter Range

Winters in southern half of the United States and southward to Mexico and Cuba. Also in southern Europe, northern Africa, and southern Asia.

Other Names

Canard chipeau (French)
Pato ruidoso, Anade riente (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

LeSchack, C. R., S. K. McKnight, and G. R. Hepp. 1997. Gadwall (Anas strepera). In The Birds of North America, No. 283 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.