Gadwall Photo Gallery

Male

Males are intricately patterned with gray, brown, and black. Note the black rump patch.

Female

Often looks square-headed with a steep forehead. Females resemble female Mallards, but with a thinner, darker bill.

Adult male and adult female

Male and female

Male in flight shows a small white patch in the secondaries of the wing, reduced in the female.

Male

White underwings are visible in flight.

Adult male

Male

At close range in flight, note male's white, black, and chestnut markings on the inner wing.

Male and female

The female is much browner than the male, with an orange rather than black bill.

Adult female

Molting male

Males assume a female-like eclipse plumage in late summer and are flightless for about 3–4 weeks as they replace their flight feathers.

Female and chick

Young juveniles are fluffy, with a mostly dark body and yellowish face with dark cap and eyeline.

Adult male and adult female

Habitat

Occurs in a wide variety of wetland habitats.