male	male female European distribution male

Identification

The male is unusually drab for a dabbling duck, his grey-brown plumage highlighted only by his completely black rear end and occasional views of the white in his wing. The female is most similar to a Mallard but is easily identified if she opens her wing slightly to show the white patch. If this is hidden look for whether your problem bird is slightly smaller and greyer than a Mallard with a distinctive bill pattern: black down the centre but neatly yellow-orange along the sides. In flight, all Gadwall have white bellies and a diagnostic square white patch in the inner secondaries.

Habitat

Breeds on lakes and pools with extensive reeds. Winters on lakes, reservoirs and estuaries.

Behaviour

The courtship diplays often involve groups of males swimming round in small circles, calling and sometimes jostling each other. Often, but not always, there will be a female at the centre of such a circle

Migration

Most of the European population (roughly 25 000 birds) winters in Western Europe, from August onwards to April.

This information is taken from the BirdFile on the appropriate BirdGuides DVD-ROM. As well as video and sounds, our CD- and DVD-ROMs contain additional text on Voice, Sexing, Ageing, Food, Nests and Eggs and more.

For the purposes of our bird news services, Gadwall is classed as Common: common species, including species that are certain or probable escapees from captivity when occurring in the British Isles. (Note that rarity levels are currently applied nationally and may not reflect local variations in abundance.)

Lackford Lakes, Suffolk 02/09/2010	Cambus, Forth 16/08/2010	Rye Meads, Herts 15/08/2010	Abberton Resr, Essex 10/08/2010	Abberton Resr, Essex 09/08/2010
Rye Meads, Herts 25/07/2010	Rye Meads, Herts 25/07/2010	undisc. site, Herts 23/07/2010	Rye Meads, Herts 25/07/2010	Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk 30/05/2010

 View all pictures of Gadwall

Gadwall breeds in the following countries (Bird News Extra subscribers will see population statistics and information on trends for each country):

Albania
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Britain
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Serbia and Montenegro
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine

http://www.avibirds.com/euhtml/Gadwall.html   Avibirds:Gadwall	Edit this link
	Broken link
BTO BirdFacts: Gadwall	Edit this link
	Broken link
Recommend a new link

BirdGuides Ltd are not responsible for the content of external sites. If you find a broken link, please click the appropriate "Broken link" link above`.