Gadwall Mareca strepera

This species was formerly placed in the genus Anas.

Gadwall, Guist Bridge (Norfolk, UK), 18th April 2022

Gadwall, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 16th April 2011

Gadwall, Burnham Norton (Norfolk, UK), 29th April 2011

Gadwall, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 1st October 2016

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 16th May 2016

Gadwall, Minsmere (Suffolk, UK), 2nd May 2015

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 1st June 2013

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 1st October 2016

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 25th August 2013

Gadwall, Burnham Overy Dunes (Norfolk, UK), 2nd May 2017

Gadwall, Battersea Park (London, UK), 26th January 2013

Gadwalls frequently show a pale cheek but this appears to be largely affected by light, or the angle of the bird to the light. A bird may show a strikingly pale cheek at one angle, then turn slightly and the pale cheek may disappear. However it does seem that some birds are more pale-cheeked than usual. Extreme cases may suggest hybrid origin, but if the bird resembles Gadwall fully in every other respect then it is almost certainly a pure Gadwall.

Gadwall, Swanton Morley fishing lakes (Norfolk, UK), 7th December 2008

Gadwall, Sparham Pools (Norfolk, UK), 16th December 2007

Gadwall, Elmham Park, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 15th December 2021

Sometimes Gadwall can show a white neck collar reminiscent of Mallard. These birds are sometimes called hybrids, but they show no other evidence of hybridisation. When it is shown it can be thicker than it is on first-generation Gadwall x Mallard hybrids, so it seems very unlikely that it's simply a dominant character resulting from a hybridisation event several generations back.

Gadwall, Felbrigg Lake (Norfolk, UK), 14th February 2017

Strangley the neck collar on this individual was not visible at all through binoculars or telesecope, but as soon as I placed my camera against the telescope eyepiece I could see the collar on the camera's display.

Gadwall, Sparham Pools (Norfolk, UK), 7th May 2007

Gadwall, Swanton Morley fishing lakes (Norfolk, UK), 13th July 2008

Gadwall, Wendcling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 17th May 2023

Gadwall (2 pairs), Barton Broad (Norfolk, UK), 5th February 2011

Gadwall, Beetley (Norfolk, UK), 3rd May 2013

Gadwall, Gypsy Lane, Brancaster (Norfolk, UK), 25th September 2012

Gadwall, Bintree Mill (Norfolk, UK), 6th March 2022

Gadwall, Burnham Overy Dunes (Norfolk, UK), 2nd May 2017

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 20th May 2009

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 21st May 2004

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 3rd December 2011

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 5th July 2008

Gadwall, Wendcling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 11th April 2022

Gadwall, Ebro Delta (Tarragona, Spain), 21st May 2013

Gadwall, Fltcham (Norfolk, UK), 5th September 2007

Gadwall, Minsmere (Suffolk, UK), 19th May 2012

Gadwall, Minsmere (Suffolk, UK), 7th June 2008

Gadwall, Great Ryburgh (Norfolk, UK), 19th May 2017

Gadwall, Great Ryburgh (Norfolk, UK), 29th April 2017

Gadwall, Snettisham (Norfolk, UK), 8th December 2012

Gadwall, Strumpshaw Fen (Norfolk, UK), 7th March 2015

Gadwall, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 15th April 2004

Gadwall, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 22nd March 2004

Gadwall, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 4th June 2016

Gadwall, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 9th February 2008

Gadwall, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 1st September 2003

Gadwall, Swanton Morley fishing lakes (Norfolk, UK), 18th May 2008

Gadwall, Swanton Morley fishing lakes (Norfolk, UK), 24th June 2007

Gadwall, Swanton Morley fishing lakes (Norfolk, UK), 3rd May 2008

Gadwall, Titchwell (Norfolk, UK), 9th June 2004

Gadwall, Coxford (Norfolk, UK), 16th March 2004

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Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 13th October 2007

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 14th April 2007

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 18th September 2003

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 7th November 2003

Gadwall, Cockshoot Broad (Norfolk, UK), 5th September 2009

Gadwall, Wendcling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 15th November 2021

Gadwall, Wendcling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 26th May 2023

Gadwall, Cley (Norfolk, UK), 3rd February 2007

Gadwall, Elmham Park, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 1st June 2022

Gadwall, North Elmham railway (Norfolk, UK), 25th January 2022

Gadwall, Muddy Hollow (California, USA), 2nd May 2005

Gadwall, Holkham Park Lake (Norfolk, UK), 1st December 2012

Gadwall, Lakcford Lakes (Suffolk, UK), 2nd June 2007

Gadwall, Salthouse (Norfolk, UK), 7th April 2001