North Louisiana Wildlife
American wigeon, gadwall, and mallard ducks flying in the sky flying in the sky

Did you know that gadwalls steal food from other ducks?

Gadwalls
at
a Glance

Gadwall ducks flying in the sky

Key Features:

Male gadwalls are gray-brown birds with white patches on their wings and a black patch on their tails. Females are brown and buff birds with white patches on their wings.

Least Concern - Population Increasing

Habitat:

Lakes, marshes, ponds, and sloughs

nesting habits:

Gadwalls build nests in dense brush or grass out of leaves, twigs, and their own down.

seasons gadwalls are active in our area:

Winter

Diet:

Amphibians, aquatic insects, crustaceans, fish, leaves, seeds, and stems

hunting Behavior:

Gadwalls forage by dabbling in water.

Commonly Confused With:

American Wigeons, Blue-Winged Teal Ducks, Green-Winged Teal Ducks, and Mallards

Flock of male green-winged teal ducks with a female duck and a blue-winged teal duck swimming

Male gadwalls are often confused with male blue-winged teal ducks because both have gray heads and black tail feathers. Male blue-winged teal ducks have a white crescent mark on their faces. 

American wigeon, gadwall, and mallard ducks flying in the sky flying in the sky

Female gadwalls are often confused with female American wigeons because both are brown ducks. Gadwalls have smaller beaks and flatter heads.

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