Gadwall

Scientific name: Mareca strepera

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Males are finely patterned grey-brown with a distinctive black rear end and chestnut-tinged shoulder patch; females are mottled brown-grey. Both sexes show a white belly and speculum (wing patch), with males notably darker and more contrasted than females.

Size and weight

Males 55–61 cm, 900–1050 g; females 51–56 cm, 750–900 g.

Habitat

Gadwall favor shallow freshwater marshes, prairie ponds, and slow rivers with emergent vegetation and open water. They prefer areas with mixed aquatic plants and minimal dense shoreline cover.

Distribution

Widespread across the Northern Hemisphere, breeding in prairie and boreal regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. Winter range extends south into temperate and subtropical wetlands.

Diet

Gadwall are omnivorous dabbling ducks, feeding primarily on aquatic vegetation seeds and shoots, supplemented with small invertebrates and occasionally grain in agricultural areas.

Behaviour

Generally active during early morning and late afternoon, becoming nocturnal in heavily hunted areas. They are gregarious, often moving between feeding and roosting sites, and pair off earlier in winter than many dabbling ducks.

Hunting tips

Look for Gadwall among mixed dabbling duck flocks in shallow marshes and pond edges; their grey male plumage blends well in certain light. Approach from downwind and use available cattail, reed, or brush cover to within effective range. Early morning and evening movements between feeding and roosting areas offer the best opportunities.

Whole weight

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

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 9 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.