Species BirdsGadwall

Gadwall

Mareca strepera

CommonBird
Illustration of Gadwall (Mareca strepera)

The Gadwall is a large dabbling duck appreciated for its understated elegance — the male's finely vermiculated gray body and black rump are beautiful up close. It is highly adaptable, nesting in prairie potholes, coastal marshes, and city park ponds. It often steals aquatic plants from diving ducks and coots.

Habitat
Prairie potholes, marshes, and lakes across North America
Diet
Aquatic vegetation, especially pondweed and algae
How common
Common

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