ILLUSTRATION
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PHOTOS
CONSERVATION STATUS
The Gadwall is rated as Least Concern at this time. The range of the Gadwall is approximately 10 million square kilometers. The population of this bird species is around 4 million individual birds. The previous rating for this bird was Lower Risk. That rating was updated in 2004 to reflect the current large range and population of the Gadwall. This bird species can be found in many countries throughout the world. At this time, there are no known serious dangers facing the Gadwall which might precipitate population decline in the near future.
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SUMMARY
Overview
Gadwall: Large dabbling duck with finely barred gray body, black rump and undertail coverts, white belly, and rust-brown shoulders. Head and neck are gray-brown; bill is gray. Wings have black-bordered white speculum most visible in flight. Legs and feet are yellow. Fast direct flight.
Range and Habitat
Gadwall: Breeds near seasonal and semi-permanent wetlands, mainly in the shortgrass, tallgrass, and mixed prairie regions of the U.S. and Canada. Spends winters in southern two-thirds of the U.S., with greatest concentrations found in the Central and Mississippi Flyways; also a common winter visitor to Guatemala. Preferred habitats include large, shallow ponds with lots of marsh plants.
SONGS AND CALLS
Listen to Call
Gadwall
Voice Text
"quack"
INTERESTING FACTS
- The Gadwall duck was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 under its current scientific name.
- It is not as gregarious as some dabbling ducks outside the breeding season and tends to form only small flocks.
- A group of ducks has many collective nouns, including a "brace", "flush", "paddling", "raft", and "team" of ducks.
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