Gadwall

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

Scientific Name: Mareca strepera

Malay Name: Itik-Bersiul Kelabu

Chinese Name: 赤膀鸭

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

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: strepera, couesi †.

Local Subspecies: strepera

Size: 46-56 cm

Identification: Male has greyish overall plumage with contrasting black vent and blackish bill. Female has mostly brown plumage with dark brown markings on back and flanks, greyish head and fine blackish bill with orange sides. Juvenile resembles female but richer brown below.

Habitat: Rivers, marshes and various freshwater wetland habitats.

Behaviour/Ecology: Keeps close to waterside vegetation when feeding.

Local Status: Vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

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):

Gadwall Mareca strepera
Average number of individuals by week based on Singapore Bird Database data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024 (all records)
Peak week Dec 03-Dec 09
Early date 04 Dec 2020
Late date 19 Jan 1989
With only one historical record of one bird in Punggol in 1989, the sighting of five birds together at Sungei Buloh in Dec 2020 came as quite a surprise.

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Mareca strepera. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680149A86020572.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.

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