The Gadwall's modest grace can make it simple to overlook this ubiquitous duck in a world where male ducks display glittering patches of green, red, or blue. While females resemble female Mallards but have a narrower, darker beak, males have elaborate gray, brown, and black patterns. While Gadwall frequently snatches food from diving ducks when they surface, we don't typically think of ducks as pirates. Since the 1980s, North America's population of this ubiquitous, adaptable duck has grown significantly.
Gadwall Specifications
Gadwall ID
Keep an eye out for gadwalls in tiny bodies of water with plenty of aquatic plants since they frequently forage in deeper water than other dabbling ducks. Due to their subtle brown color, they frequently associate with other duck species. Males should be distinguished from females by their black tails, white wing patches (produced by the inner secondary feathers), and elaborately patterned plumage rather than streaked or spotted plumage.
