Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Species
Gadwall (Anas strepera). Male. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on November 19th 2020.
Male. Taken at Otmoor, Oxon., on November 19th 2020.
(1/2000th sec at f11 . Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Gadwall (Anas strepera). Female. Taken at Standlake, Oxon., on April 4th 2019.
Female. Taken at Standlake, Oxon., on April 4th 2019.
(1/1250th sec at f13. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)

Description

L: 46 - 56 cm; WS: 78 - 90 cm

Slightly smaller than the Mallard, the male is unusual amongst surface-feeding ducks, being discretely coloured in shades of grey and brown. In breeding plumage, its black rear end, light chestnut wings, and brilliant white speculum are distinctive. The female is light brown, with plumage much like a female Mallard; the white speculum is distinctive.

The Gadwall is mainly a species of eastern Europe. It was introduced into the UK in the 1860s. There is some evidence of natural colonisation from the east.

It is a bird of open wetlands, such as prairie or steppe lakes, wet grassland or marshes with dense fringing vegetation.

This is a UK amber list species as there are only around 800 breeding pairs in the UK. About 18000 birds over-winter here.

Sightings

16-Mar-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon (2)
26-Jan-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon
16-Jan-2024 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
01-Jan-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon

26-Dec-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
22-Oct-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (2)
16-Aug-2023 : Whelford Pools, Glos
18-May-2023 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)
29-Apr-2023 : Aston, Oxon (2)
27-Apr-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (3m)
21-Apr-2023 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (1)
20-Apr-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (2)
19-Mar-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (1)
15-Mar-2023 : Otmoor, Oxon
11-Mar-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (2)
19-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (4)
05-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
01-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
01-Jan-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (8)

26-Dec-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
06-Dec-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
20-Nov-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
13-Nov-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
18-Oct-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (8)
16-Oct-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
31-Aug-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (2)
30-May-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (2)
25-Apr-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2m)
23-Apr-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (1m)
21-Apr-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
15-Apr-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (2)
13-Apr-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
05-Apr-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (3m,2f)
28-Mar-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
26-Mar-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (2)
23-Mar-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
27-Feb-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
24-Feb-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (16+)
14-Feb-2022 : Appleford GPs, Oxon
10-Feb-2022 : Dorchester, Oxon
07-Feb-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (4)
30-Jan-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon (4)
24-Jan-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (23)
04-Jan-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon
01-Jan-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon

29-Dec-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon
25-Nov-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (2)
22-Nov-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (6)
17-Nov-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (4)
14-Nov-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (12)