Mallard vs Gadwall
Anas platyrhynchos compared with Mareca strepera
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mallard | Gadwall |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anas platyrhynchos | Mareca strepera |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 50.3 cm (19.8 in) |
| Weight | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) | 857.5 g (30.25 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … | Dabbles for seeds and aquatic invertebrates; diet shifts toward invertebrates in spring; forages in shallow … |
| Clutch Size | 4-18 | 5-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
Gadwall
Freshwater lakes, reservoirs, marshes, and rivers with emergent vegetation across Eurasia and North America. Winters on large open wetlands and coastal estuaries. Range and population increasing in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Gadwall
Male utters a soft, nasal nheck note; female produces a series of descending, quacking notes. Both sexes are relatively quiet; female's quacking is softer and less strident than a Mallard.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Gadwall
Found year-round in Australia and New Zealand; nomadic in arid Australia, following temporary rainfall-fed wetlands.
Conservation Status
Mallard
Gadwall
How to Tell Them Apart
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
Gadwall
Males have finely vermiculated gray-brown plumage with black rump and undertail. White speculum patch diagnostic in flight. Females mottled brown like Mallard but smaller and with orange-sided bill. Subtle but …
About These Birds
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.
Gadwall
A medium-sized dabbling duck. Males appear grey-brown but are intricately patterned with fine grey vermiculations, black rump, and white speculum. Females resemble Mallard but with orange-sided bill. Widespread across Eurasia and North America. Feeds by dabbling and grazing.