Garganey

The Garganey is a small, highly migratory dabbling duck that breeds across temperate Eurasia and undertakes long migrations to winter in Africa and southern Asia, appearing only briefly on temperate breeding wetlands each year. Breeding males are unmistakable, with a bold facial stripe and ornamental elongated feathers over the folded wing.

The single most diagnostic feather feature of the breeding male is a set of elongated, drooping scapular feathers overhanging the folded wing, striped in black, white, and gray—a pattern not shared by any other regularly occurring small dabbling duck in its range. Head feathers are rich brown marked by a bold white supercilium stripe curving from the eye back toward the nape. Flank feathers are finely vermiculated pale gray. The upperwing covert feathers form a pale blue-gray patch bordered by white and a green speculum. Females are mottled brown, similar to other female teal, but show a somewhat more contrasting face pattern with a pale spot at the base of the bill.

Strong sexual dimorphism in breeding males; eclipse males resemble females, losing the ornamental scapulars and bold facial stripe outside the breeding season. Juveniles resemble adult females.

Breeds on shallow freshwater wetlands, flooded grassland, and marshes across temperate Europe and Asia. Undertakes long-distance migration to winter primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, with the species largely absent from its breeding range outside the short breeding season.

Feeds by dabbling and filtering small seeds and invertebrates from the water's surface and shallow mud. Highly migratory, forming large flocks on passage and on wintering grounds. Nests on the ground near water. Males give a distinctive dry, rattling call during courtship display, quite different from typical duck quacks.