Physical 

Gadwalls are medium-sized ducks with a slender bill and steep forehead. Males have brown heads, a wavy pattern of brown and white on their chests, and a bold pattern of black, white, grey and brown over the rest of the body. Females are generally brown, and look very similar to female Mallards.

Habitat

Gadwalls migrate seasonally. In the summer they live in freshwater lakes, in prairies and mountain valleys. In the winter, they migrate to marshes, lakes, and estuaries. Their range covers central Canada, the southern coast of Alaska, the continental US, and Mexico.

Feeding 

As dabbling ducks, Gadwall feed by tipping their body into the water and feeding on submerged vegetation while they float on the water’s surface. They can also eat molluscs, insects, crustaceans, and very rarely, small fish. If they’re feeding alongside other duck species, they can steal food from them. Gadwall ducklings feed mostly on insects before shifting to plants as they mature.