Garganey (Anas querquedula)

OTHER NAMES: Cricket Teal

Latin Etymology: Anas ("duck") querquedula (duck mentioned by Varro and Columella)

Adult male Garganey (Anas queruedula) at Summer Leys Reserve, Northants - March 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 300-400g  /  Length: 37-41cm  /  Wingspan: 59-67cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

After the Gadwall, possibly one of the most drably coloured duck species found in the UK. The male is primarily notable for the prominent white stripe over its eye, while the female is a rather forgettable brown. Perhaps the rarest and most secretive of UK Ducks - only around a hundred pairs breed in the UK a year, and those that do are quite secretive. They are also barely bigger than a teal, so finding them is potentially the hardest of all British freshwater Ducks.  They do seem to turn up fairly regularly on passage, so being quick on the uptake of reports in the Spring and Autumn may be the best bet for seeing them.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anas
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare Summer migrant and breeding species (14-90 pairs)

 - Seen at Summerleys in May 2011 and March 2022

SPAIN - Spanish - Cerceta carretona ("Marbled Teal")

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A single bird seen fleetingly at Laguna Navaseca

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto