Gadwall

General Description

Gadwalls are medium-sized, streamlined ducks with mottled brown-and-black body plumage and light brown heads. Females and males in eclipse plumage may look superficially similar to Mallards. Both sexes have a black and white wing-patch, or speculum, that is distinctive in flight. Males also have chestnut on the forewing. Males in breeding plumage have gray and black striations on their bodies and heads, and black rumps. Females, immatures, and eclipse-plumaged males have thin, black bills with orange on the sides, while males in breeding plumage have solid black bills.

Gadwalls are Common year round residents in Western WA. Habitat is sloughs, estuaries, ponds, marshed lakes, marshes, swamps, mudflats, bogs, wet meadows, sewage waters.

Behavior

Gadwalls forage mainly while swimming, either taking items from the surface or dabbling in shallow water, or diving, which they are more likely to do than most other dabblers. They often follow American Coots, foraging on plants that have been brought up to the surface. Gadwalls seldom forage on land. They are more strongly monogamous than other ducks, with over 90% paired by November, 4 to 5 months prior to the breeding season. This monogamy is limited, however, and as with other ducks, the pair bonds dissolve upon the start of incubation, and males leave the breeding area to gather in bachelor flocks.

Male Breeding

Female

Non Breeding Dude