# Gadwall

*Mareca strepera*

Gadwalls are notorious 'kleptoparasites'; they often wait for American Coots to surface with aquatic vegetation and then steal it right out of their beaks.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Anseriformes › Anatidae › Mareca
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** increasing
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Shallow freshwater marshes, ponds, lakes, and estuaries with abundant emergent vegetation.
- **Diet:** Primarily herbivorous, consuming aquatic plants, seeds, stems, and occasional small invertebrates.
- **Range:** North America, Europe, Asia, Northern Africa
- **Size:** Length: 46-56 cm; Wingspan: 78-90 cm; Weight: 850-1000g
- **Lifespan:** 5-10 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Wetland drainage, habitat degradation, lead poisoning from legacy shot, and climate change affecting breeding grounds.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and shy. Maintain a respectful distance of 20-30 feet to avoid causing the bird to take flight. If you find an injured bird, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. Wash hands after any contact with wetland water or feathers to prevent the spread of avian bacteria.

## About

The gadwall ( Mareca strepera ) is a common and widespread dabbling duck in the family Anatidae.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/b363c44a-d562-4f47-88ed-28db436cec7d
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/558439
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mareca strepera
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/116092130/medium.jpeg (Luke, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.