Gadwall
Anas strepera
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Gadwall
Anas strepera
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Description
At first glance, a male Gadwall is a rather dull bird, but look closely and you’ll see intricate black, gray, and white patterns. The male Gadwall has a pattern gray body with a black end, bright white tail feather, and a light tan colored wing. The female Gadwall looks like many other female dabblers with a light brown plumage. The female plumage can be confused for a female Mallard but can be told apart from the orange lining the dark bill.
Illustration by Kim McNett
Habitat and Status
The Gadwall is a common local resident in the Chugach Region. Gadwalls both breed and winter here, mostly around the Copper River Delta. The Chugach Region is the northernmost extent of this species’ breeding and wintering range in North America, disjunct from most of the breeding populations at lower latitudes. Audubon’s climate modeling suggests Gadwalls may decline dramatically in the coming decades. While its winter range is expected to remain stable and potentially increase by 27%, more than 90% of its summer range may disappear by 2080.
Distribution of Gadwalls in the Chugach Region.
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