Audubon

Guide to North American Birds

 Find a Bird

Breeding adult male. Photo: Jo Garbutt/Flickr (CC BY-2.0)

Garganey

Spatula querquedula

A long-distance migrant in the Old World, this small duck sometimes goes off course, and might turn up almost anywhere in North America. Most likely to be seen in spring, on marshy ponds of the sort favored by Blue-winged Teal. In the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, occurs as a rare migrant in spring and very rarely in fall.
Family Ducks and Geese
A long-distance migrant in the Old World, this small duck sometimes goes off course, and might turn up almost anywhere in North America. Most likely to be seen in spring, on marshy ponds of the sort favored by Blue-winged Teal. In the western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, occurs as a rare migrant in spring and very rarely in fall.
Photo Gallery



Illustration © David Allen Sibley.
Learn more about these drawings.

Text © Kenn Kaufman, adapted from
Lives of North American Birds

Download Our Bird Guide App

Songs and Calls
Many of the calls are similar to Blue-winged Teal or Northern Shoveler. Males give an odd rattle-like call. Females emit a week croak similar to a Green-winged Teal.
Audio © Lang Elliott, Bob McGuire, Kevin Colver, Martyn Stewart and others.
Learn more about this sound collection.

Garganey In the News More News

Is That Exotic Waterfowl You Just Found Wild or an Escapee?
Birding

Is That Exotic Waterfowl You Just Found Wild or an Escapee?

And more importantly, can you add it to your life list?

Read more

These birds need your help