General

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. Female is mottled brown with dark-spotted orange bill and white speculum visible when swimming. Juvenile resembles female; eclipse male is similar to female but is grayer overall.

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.

Breeding and Nesting

Gadwall: Seven to fifteen creamy white eggs are laid in a nest made of grass and weeds, lined with down, and usually hidden in dense weeds or grass near water. Incubation ranges from 24 to 27 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Gadwall: Feeds on pondweeds, naiads, widgeon grass, watermilfoil, algae, seeds, and aquatic invertebrates; forages in deeper water than most other dabbling ducks.

Vocalization

Gadwall: Utters a high, reedy "quack."

Similar Species

Gadwall: Adult male in breeding plumage is unmistakable.