Eurasian Wigeon

This species is defined as a Review Species . Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page .

Scientific Name: Mareca penelope

Malay Name: Itik-Bersiul Kepala Merah

Chinese Name: 赤颈鸭

Range: Found throughout northern temperate Europe and Asia, wintering to equatorial Africa, Middle East, Indian subcontinent, southern China, Korea, Japan, mainland Southeast Asia and the Philippines.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 45-51 cm

Identification: Male has bright chestnut head with broad yellowish median stripe, pinkish breast and mostly greyish remaining of body with black vent. Female has rather plain dark brownish head and neck, shortish pale grey bill with black tip and chestnut-tinged breast and flanks. Juvenile resembles female.

Habitat: Mudflats, mangroves, marshes and various wetland habitats.

Behaviour/Ecology: Keeps to shallow waterside vegetation, feeding on small aquatic plants.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2017)

Featured articles:

Past records in our database:

Showing only accepted records. Note that records currently under review are also not displayed, and the list may not be a full list of records of this species in Singapore. For more details, check the database here.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Eurasian Wigeon Mareca penelope
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2013 to Jun 2023 (all records)
Peak week Dec 17-Dec 23
Early date 23 Dec 2018
Late date 22 Feb 1987
Recent record: one male at Kranji on 23 Dec 2018.
Eurasian Wigeon (female) at Tokyo Imperial Garden. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai
Eurasian Wigeon (pair) at Tokyo Imperial Garden. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai
Eurasian Wigeon (male) at Tokyo Imperial Garden. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai
Eurasian Wigeon at Kranji Marshes. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Eurasian Wigeon (pair) at Tokyo Imperial Garden. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai

External Links:

Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page

Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link

Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

eBird Species page: eBird (Eurasian Wigeon)

References:

BirdLife International. (2017). Mareca penelope. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22680157A111892532.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.

Lim, K. S. (2009). The Avifauna of Singapore. Nature Society (Singapore).

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

RECOMMENDED CITATION

Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Eurasian Wigeon. Retrieved on November 25, 2023 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/eurasian-wigeon.

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