Gadwall Duck Juvenile Pair

Gadwall Duck Juvenile Pair

IMPORTANT ORDERING INFORMATION: Exotic ducks are shipped on Wednesdays, USPS Priority Mail Express, and will typically arrive in 1-2 days at your local post office. Exotic ducks are not available for pickup. Shipping cost is $50.00 per pair. Duck wings can be pinioned, clipped or flying.

Gadwall Ducks, Anas strepera, have their origins in North America, but are also widespread in Europe and Asia, and can be found on or near small to large bodies of water. They are a medium to small sized duck, and although they seem to lack the bright plumage of other breeds, they are noted for having a nicely uniformed gray to brown coloring with a detailed but muted pattern to their feathers. The females will be patterned with a buff to brown coloring and will be slightly smaller than the males. The average body length of an adult male is 21 inches, with the females measuring approximately 19 inches in length.

Gadwall Ducks have a diet consisting primarily of aquatic plants, roots, insects, and vegetation. You will also want to supply them with a standard game bird feed and a fresh supply of drinking water. They will usually be found feeding in deeper water than most other ducks, so you will want an aviary setting that provides a decent natural or man-made water source for them. Your aviary should also have some smaller trees and abundant shrubbery for shelter. Additional shelter or nest boxes should also be provided for these birds, as they naturally migrate during the colder winter months.

Gadwall Ducks also do their breeding on the water, often pairing up in late fall, much earlier than other ducks. The females will build nests away from the water, on dry land secluded by grasses or vegetation, and clutches of 7 to 12 white colored eggs will be laid. The female will then incubate the eggs for 24 to 27 days, with the young leaving their nest shortly after hatching. These youngsters will be ready to attempt their first flight between 48 to 59 days.