Garganey
| Irish Name: | Praslacha shamhraidh |
| Scientific name: | Anas querquedula |
| Bird Family: | Ducks |
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Conservation status
Conservation status
Status
Scarce summer visitor to wetlands from March to September.
Identification
Slightly larger than Teal. Adult males are very distinctive, having a broad white supercilium. The rest of the body is a warm brown, except for the densely barred greyish flanks. Adult female Garganey are very similar to female Teal, having a subtly different head pattern (small white supercilium and white throat patch). Also has a grey instead of the distinctive green of the Teal, though this requires close views in good light. Juvenile Garganey are very similar to females.
Voice
Generally silent when seen in Ireland.
Diet
Feeds on a variety of plant seeds, pondweeds, grasses, as well as aquatic macro-invertebrates (beetles, midges).
Breeding
Only occasionally breeds in Ireland on well-vegetated ponds. Migrants can be seen anywhere in Ireland, though predominantly in the south and east. Garganey breed from Europe eastwards to Central Asia.
Wintering
A summer visitor to Ireland and Europe, with the population wintering in central Africa.
Monitored by
Scarce Summer visitor to freshwater marshes. Greater numbers may be present during passage.
Wintering in Africa.
