ODNR Division of Wildlife - A to Z Species Guide - Gadwall

Gadwall

Gadwall

Puddle ducks are typically birds of fresh, shallow marshes and rivers rather than of large lakes and bays. They are good divers, but usually feed by dabbling or tipping rather than by submerging. Any duck feeding in croplands will likely be a puddle duck, for most of this group are surefooted and can walk and run well on land. Their diet consists of mostly vegetables.

Gadwalls are most numerous in the Central Flyway, but not too common anywhere. They are often called "gray mallards" or "gray ducks."


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Gadwall
Anas strepera

At-a-Glance

• Type: Puddle Duck

>• Incubation: 24-27 days

• Clutch Size: 7-13 eggs

• Young Fledge: 48-56 days after hatching

• Typical Foods: plant matter and aquatic invertebrates
Description
The gadwall's speculum is white with iridescent black bar. There is also a rusty splotch in secondary coverts. The feet and legs are yellow-orange.

Habitat and Habits
This duck is one of the earliest migrants, seldom facing cold weather. It travels in small, compact flocks that fly swiftly, usually in a direct line. Their wingbeats are very rapid. Gadwalls are most often seen in marshes, but can also inhabit ponds, lakes, and rivers. The drakes whistle and kack-kack; the hens quack like a mallard, only softer.

Reproduction and Care of the Young
Nests are scrapes in the ground lined with grass, leaves, and down feathers. The young are born precocial and they obtain their own food as they are led around by the mother. After 10 weeks, the young are on their own.