Gadwall
Mareca strepera · Ducks, Geese, and Swans
Banding codeGADW
Keys to identifying it
1Size & shape
About 20 in long.
2Color pattern
- Male: plain gray-brown with a black rear
- White square in the wing in flight
- Female: mallard-like with an orange-edged bill
3Habitat & season
Ponds, marshes, reservoirs
In northern Utah: year-round.
Seen most often in November, December, January, February and March.
Share of the region’s research-grade iNaturalist bird observations each month, scaled to this bird’s peak. Highlighted bars are its peak months.
4Voice
Females quack; males give a low, burping call.
“a low, nasal 'reb'”
iNat 205684473 by Ali Powell · Wever, IA 52658, USA · CC BY
Know it
- The male looks plain at a distance but is finely patterned up close.
- Steals food from diving ducks and coots.
- Shows a white square in the wing when it flies.
Often confused with
Mallard- Blue-winged Teal
- Green-winged Teal
From iNaturalist identification data for northern Utah.
From Wikipedia
The gadwall is a common and widespread dabbling duck in the family Anatidae.
Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0