Garganey

Spatula querquedula

Introduction

Unlike most of Britain's ducks the Garganey is a summer visitor, arriving in early spring from its wintering grounds in Africa.

BirdTrack records show that the species is widely recorded in spring on lakes, marshes and wet meadows, but assessing the size of the breeding population is difficult owing to the birds' secretive nature. An estimate of around 100 pairs makes this a rare duck, although the British population is important in a European context.

Male Garganey are striking, with their rich brown head and neck, long prominent curving white eyebrow and black and white plumes above neat grey flanks.

Key Stats

Scarce

375g

8-9

<1%

BTO Records

76k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

105 Pairs

48.6% expansion

No data

No current data

385.7% expansion

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Garganey

ID Videos

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This section features BTO training videos headlining this species, or featuring it as a potential confusion species.

Garganey & Teal

Songs and Calls

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Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Garganey, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

Call:

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

UK Birds of Conservation Concern

Amber listed

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Yes

Birds Directive Annex 1

Listed on the Annexes of*

WCA(I), WBD(II*), Bern(II), Bonn(II), AEWA

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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UK (breeding)

105 Pairs (2013–17)

Source

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

1662

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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The Garganey is difficult to monitor as breeding occurs at extensive wetland sites where it is difficult to confirm, and the presence of pairs in suitable habitat may also relate to passage birds. RBBP data suggest that numbers have recently increased to a five-year mean of 120 pairs for the period 2015–2019, with numbers stable over the last 25 years but remaining slightly below the peak of 163 pairs in 1993 (Eaton et al. 2021).

Distribution

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Widely recorded in spring on lakes, marshlands and wet meadows, the Garganey is surely among the most difficult duck to census as a breeding bird. The breeding distribution map shows that records with breeding evidence were received from 199 10-km squares in Britain and 13 in Ireland. Favoured areas are around the Ouse Washes and nearby fenland sites, Norfolk Broads, Somerset Levels, northeast and northwest England coastlines.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in breeding season

205

% occupied in breeding season

6.8%

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

1.6%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in breeding season (1968–72 to 2008–11)

48.6 %

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

385.7 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution change for Garganey

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

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Garganey are localised summer visitor with a pronounced pattern of detection in spring and autumn bookending low detection during the breeding season; occasional birds winter.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Garganey movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Garganey, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

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Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

46x33 mm

Mass (% shell)

27g (8%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

9-8 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

6-14 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Female

Typical duration

23-21 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Precocial, downy

Typical duration

40-35 days

Source

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

lifespan

Typical life expectancy of bird reaching breeding age

with breeding typically at 1 year

Source

Maximum age from a ringed bird

14 years, 6 months, 15 days (set in 1982)

Survival of adults

Females

0.47±0.11

Males

0.66±0.03

Source

Survival of juveniles

All juveniles

0.65±0.05 (in first year)

Source

Biometrics

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Wing length and body weights are from live birds (source).

Ring Size

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Garganey

Classification and Codes

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Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Scientific name: Spatula querquedula
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: GY
BTO 5-letter code: GARGA
Euring code number: 1910

Alternate species names

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Catalan: xarrasclet
Czech: círka modrá
Danish: Atlingand
Dutch: Zomertaling
Estonian: rägapart
Finnish: heinätavi
French: Sarcelle d’été
Gaelic: Lach-crann

German: Knäkente
Hungarian: böjti réce
Icelandic: Taumönd
Irish: Praslacha Shamhraidh
Italian: Marzaiola
Latvian: prikške
Lithuanian: dryžagalve krykle
Norwegian: Knekkand

Polish: cyranka (zwyczajna)
Portuguese: marreco
Slovak: kacica chrapacka
Slovenian: reglja
Spanish: Cerceta carretona
Swedish: årta
Welsh: Hwyaden Addfain

English folkname(s): Summer/Cricket Teal

Research

Interpretation and scientific publications about Garganey from BTO scientists.

Causes of Change and Solutions

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Causes of change

It is unclear why Garganey numbers appear relatively stable in the UK. Conservation management and creation of new wetlands in order to support species including the Bittern may have helped ensure that the condition and availability of habitat for Garganey has remained favourable in the UK.

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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