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Bird Sightings : Hebrides : Garganey

 

Awaiting image for this species

 

Garganey

(Garganey Teal)

Anas querquedula

 

• Garganey (Garganey Teal)
• Anas querquedula
• UK: Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
• UK: AMBER LIST, 69 pairs (summer) BTO
• WI: Scarce spring passage visitor (very small numbers recorded in most years). May have bred
• Breeds: Europe, Asia
• Winters: South Europe, South Africa, Australia, South Asia
• Diet: Garganey is a dabbling duck so often feeds swimming with head under water, or by skimming surface. Eats leaves, shoots, aquatic vegetation
• Habitat: Shallow wetlands, rushy marshland, flooded meadows, ditches, shallow lakes, reedbeds
• Secretive duck (especially when breeding). Smaller than mallard, bit bigger than teal. Adult male, brown head & breast. Broad white stripe over eye. Rest of plumage grey, (loose grey shoulder feathers). Grey bill & legs.
  Fight shows a pale blue forewing.
• Max recorded age 21yrs 4mths
• Similar birds: Teal, Green-winged teal (rare)
• Listen to a Garganey (RSPB site)

 

 

Garganey records in the Western Isles

Scarce spring passage visitor (very small numbers recorded in most years)
May have bred
Source: Outer Hebrides Bird Report (2001)

 

The chart below shows how abundant the Garganey is during a month or when you are more likely to see it.

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D

(Source: Outer Hebrides Birds Checklist)

 

 

 

Male or female ducks and their collective nouns

Some people use the word duck only for an adult female and drake for an adult male whilst others say hen and drake.

Waterfowl collective nouns (From WIKI):
waterfowl (on water)	A raft
waterfowl	A bunch of waterfowl
waterfowl (less than 30)	A knob
ducks, swimming	A paddling of ducks
waterfowl	A plump
ducks, idle in water	A raft of ducks
ducks, diving	A dopping of ducks
ducks, on ground	A badelynge of ducks
ducks, flying	A flight, plump, or team of ducks
ducks	A brace, bunch, flock, skein, sord, string, brace, flush

 

 

 

Other local bird photographs

Sources of information for the bird sightings section

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