Garganey

Overview

The garganey (Spatula querquedula) is a small dabbling duck that breeds across the Palearctic but is strictly migratory, moving entirely to Africa, South Asia, and Australasia for the Northern hemisphere winter. First described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Adult males have a brown head and breast with a broad white crescent over the eye, while the rest of the plumage is grey with loose scapular feathers.
• Distinctive flight features include a pale blue speculum with a white border and prominent white edges on the tertials when swimming.
• Males possess a distinctive crackling mating call, whereas females are relatively silent but capable of a feeble quack.
• Measuring approximately 41 cm in length with a wingspan of 58–69 cm, the species features a grey bill and legs.

Habitat

Breeding habitats consist of grassland adjacent to shallow marshes and steppe lakes. The species is rare in the British Isles, with breeding primarily occurring in quiet marshes in Norfolk and Suffolk, as well as a few locations in Ireland.

Diet

Garganeys feed mainly by skimming rather than upending.

Did you know?

The specific epithet querquedula is derived from Latin and is believed to represent the bird's call, while the common English name dates back to the 17th century via a Lombard word ultimately linked to the Late Latin term for 'tracheal artery'.