Eurasian wigeon

Scientific name: Mareca penelope

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Males are distinctive with chestnut-red head, cream-yellow forehead, and grey back; females are duller brown-grey overall. Both sexes show a white belly and white shoulder patch (visible in flight), with relatively small duck proportions.

Size and weight

Males 450–550 g, females 400–450 g; body length 45–51 cm.

Habitat

Eurasian wigeon prefer shallow freshwater lakes, marshes, and coastal wetlands with nearby grassland or agricultural fields. They favor areas with emergent vegetation and open water for dabbling and grazing.

Distribution

Breeds across northern Eurasia from Iceland to eastern Siberia; winters in temperate Europe, North Africa, and western Asia, with overlap zones in mild-winter regions.

Diet

Primarily vegetarian, grazing on aquatic plants, algae, and grasses; also dabbles for seeds and invertebrates, with diet shifting more herbivorous in winter.

Behaviour

Highly gregarious and active year-round, feeding in flocks at dawn and dusk though also active throughout daylight. Dabble and up-end in shallow water; regularly leave water to graze on adjacent meadows.

Hunting tips

Look for flocking birds on open water or adjacent grasslands; droppings and grazing marks indicate recent feeding areas. Approach from downwind in low cover, using water edges and vegetation. Early morning and late afternoon provide best light and activity; decoys are effective on calm water, and passing flocks respond to calls.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 15 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.