Gadwall (male)

Description:

The male breeding plumage is intricately patterned with grey,brown and black.

Habitat:

Spotted at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.

Notes:

Gadwalls feed with other dabbling ducks, tipping forward to feed on submerged vegetation without diving. They sometimes steal food from flocks of diving ducks or coots. You'll often see these ducks in pairs through the winter, because they select their mates for the breeding season as early as late fall.