GADWALL 

 ( Anas strepera ) 



[DA: Knarand, DU: Krakeend , FI: Harmaasorsa , FR: Canard chipeau, GE: Schnatter- 

 ente, IC : Gargond, IT: Canapiglia, JA: Oka yoshigamo, NW: Snadderand , PO: Krak- 

 wa, PR: Frisada, RU: (Gray Duck), SP: Pato ruidosa , Anade friso; SW: Snatterand] 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION 



The Gadwall breeds in southern Alaska, the southern Prairie Provinces of 

 Canada, southern Ontario (AOU 1957, Godfrey 1966), and in the western and cen- 

 tral United States (AOU 1957, Johnsgard 1975). In recent years there has been 

 an increase in breeding in the eastern United States (Henny and Holgersen 1974), 

 including all the coastal states to South Carolina. In winter Gadwalls occur 

 throughout the southern half of the United States, most of Mexico, and the Car- 

 ibbean islands (AOU 1957, Bond 1971). An Old World portion of the population 

 breeds from Iceland across northern Eurasia and winters in southern Europe, 

 northern Africa, the Middle East, China, and Japan (Delacour 1954, Johnsgard 

 1978). 



The North American breeding population has been estimated at about 1,615,000 

 birds in recent years (Bellrose 1976), with the most important breeding grounds 

 in the Prairie Provinces of Canada and in the Dakotas. In winter the species is 

 locally common in the southeastern United States (Map 9), but large concentra- 

 tions are found in the coastal marshes of Louisiana. In recent years, popula- 

 tion estimates in Louisiana ranged from 570,000 in 1972 to 938,000 in 1969 

 (Bellrose 1976). 



SUSCEPTIBILITY TO OIL POLLUTION 



Records in the banding office at Patuxent National Research Center indicate 

 that at least two Gadwalls have died as a result of oiling, one in Texas and one 

 in Louisiana. Death from oiling is evidently uncommon to rare in this species, 

 for we found no other records. The Gadwall occurs primarily in fresh water and 

 in brackish marshes and estuaries. Because of its inshore habits, this species 

 is not likely to be particularly vulnerable to oil pollution. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 



1980 



Kennedy, R. S. and E. C. Dickinson. 1980. First record of the Gadwall from 

 the Philippines. Auk 97: 902. 



Klein, H. P. 1980. Erster gesicherter Brutnachweis der Schnatterente ( Anas 

 strepera ) in Nordrhein-Westf alen. [First confirmed sighting of breeding 

 of Gadwall ( Anas strepera ) in North Rhine-Westphalia.] Charadrius 16: 

 88-90. 



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