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Gadwall Pair

Gadwall

North Dakota Game Species
Fact Sheet
Scientific Name Anas strepera
Wing spread 35 inches
Body length 20 inches
Weight 2 pounds
Description Males are medium-sized grayish brown birds with a black bill.Males have a chestnut wing patch. Females are brownish gray with an orangish bill. Both sexes have white and black wing speculum and white belly. It’s the only dabbler in North Dakota without an iridescent speculum.
Nesting Habitat Nests in large patches of tall, dense grass vegetation and on small islands.
Clutch size 10 eggs
Incubation period 26 days
Status in North Dakota The gadwall commonly nests in North Dakota.
Food habits Feeds in wetlands on sago pondweed, salt grass and hardstem bulrush. Tidbit: The gadwall’s greatest nesting density in North America is in North Dakota.
Fun Facts