Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
Species
Wigeon (Anas penelope). Male. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs, on January 17th 2019.
Male. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs, on January 17th 2019.
(1/800th sec at f10. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)
Wigeon (Anas penelope). Female. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs, on January 18th 2018.
Female. Taken at Slimbridge, Gloucs, on January 18th 2018.
(1/200th sec at f10. Click image for larger version. © David Hastings)

Description

L: 42 - 50cm; WS 71 - 85 cm

The Wigeon is a medium-sized duck with a round head and small bill. The head and neck of the male are chestnut, with a yellow forehead, pink breast and grey body. In flight birds show white bellies and males have large white wing patches.

In can be found in most parts of the British Isles in winter. Birds breed in north-western Scotland and northern England.

Its breeding habitats include boreal forest lakes and marshes, tundra pools and temperate shallow fresh waters.

It is gregarious except when nesting, and large flocks can ofen be found in winter when there is a large influx of birds from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia. Up to half a million birds may spend the winter here.

With large numbers of wintering birds at a few UK sites it is an Amber List species.

Sightings

16-Mar-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon (100+)
15-Mar-2024 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (2)
31-Jan-2024 : Slimbridge, Glos
26-Jan-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon
01-Jan-2024 : Standlake Common, Oxon

26-Dec-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
07-Nov-2023 : Slimbridge, Glos
22-Oct-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon (3)
19-Mar-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
15-Mar-2023 : Otmoor, Oxon
11-Mar-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
05-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
01-Feb-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon
01-Jan-2023 : Standlake Common, Oxon

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 (2)
08-Oct-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
31-Aug-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon (1)
27-Feb-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
24-Feb-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (4)
23-Feb-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
11-Feb-2022 : Farmoor Reservoir, Oxon (2)
10-Feb-2022 : Dorchester, Oxon
07-Feb-2022 : Otmoor, Oxon
30-Jan-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
09-Jan-2022 : Standlake Common, Oxon
01-Jan-2022 : Radley Lakes, Oxon

25-Nov-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
17-Nov-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
28-Oct-2021 : Port Meadow, Oxford, Oxon (20+)
11-Oct-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
20-Sep-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (5)
18-Apr-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon (2)
25-Mar-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
22-Mar-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
14-Mar-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
09-Mar-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (3)
07-Mar-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
28-Feb-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
27-Feb-2021 : Appleford GPs, Oxon (2)
10-Feb-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
09-Feb-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (6)
31-Jan-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon
23-Jan-2021 : Otmoor, Oxon
17-Jan-2021 : Standlake Common, Oxon
11-Jan-2021 : Radley Lakes, Oxon (12+)

15-Dec-2020 : Otmoor, Oxon