Mareca penelope
The Eurasian Wigeon, *Mareca penelope*, is a medium-sized dabbling duck instantly recognizable by its distinctive vocalizations and striking male plumage. Males boast a rich rufous-chestnut head topped with a creamy-buff forehead and crown, contrasting sharply with a grey body, white belly, and a black undertail. In flight, a prominent white patch on the forewing and a glossy green speculum are key identifiers. Females are a more subdued mottled reddish-brown, often showing a slightly paler b...
Primarily inhabits freshwater and brackish wetlands, including lakes, slow-moving rivers, coastal lagoons, and flooded grasslands. Found from sea level up to moderate elevations in mountainous regions during breeding.
Strictly herbivorous, their diet consists almost entirely of plant matter, including grasses, sedges, aquatic plants, roots, and seeds. They primarily forage by grazing on land or dabbling in shallow water.
Eurasian Wigeons are largely diurnal, engaging in active foraging throughout the day and often roosting communally on open water or sheltered banks at night. Their foraging strategy is unique among dabbling ducks, as they primarily graze on land like geese, but also dabble in shallow water for su...
The Eurasian Wigeon boasts an extensive breeding range across the northern Palearctic, stretching from Iceland and Fennoscandia eastward through northern Russia, Siberia, and into parts of Central Asia. Their wintering grounds are far-reaching, encompassing much of Western Europe, the British Isl...
Least Concern
- The Eurasian Wigeon is often referred to as the 'Whistler' due to the male's distinctive and melodic 'whee-oo' call. - They are one of the few dabbling duck species that primarily graze on land, behaving much like geese, especially in winter. - Eurasian Wigeons are known kleptoparasites, often ...