Facts about Gadwall

1. 07

   Incubation of gadwall eggs requires approximately 24-25 days before ducklings hatch, with females remaining mostly confined to their nests throughout this period.

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2. 06

   Female gadwalls construct ground nests lined with down feathers and typically lay 7-11 eggs per clutch during the breeding season.

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3. 05

   Gadwall populations have expanded their breeding range northward by approximately 100 miles since the 1960s, establishing nesting colonies in the boreal forests of Canada.

   GadwallMay 14sharedistributionpopulationgeography
4. 04

   Gadwall pairs form monogamous bonds that typically last throughout the breeding season, with males remaining present to guard females during egg incubation and early duckling stages.

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5. 03

   During spring migration, gadwall populations shift northward from wintering grounds in Mexico and the southern United States to breeding territories across the prairie pothole region of North America.

   GadwallMay 14sharemigrationgeographyseasonal
6. 02

   Gadwalls consume aquatic vegetation by dabbling in shallow water, eating up to 80 percent plant matter compared to other dabbling ducks that eat more insects.

   GadwallMay 14sharedietbehaviorbiology
7. 01

   Male gadwalls display distinctive white breast plumage during breeding season, contrasting sharply with their gray and black body feathers.

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