Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope) lives in wet grasslands across Northern Europe, Asia. It feeds on grass and leaves. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Eurasian Wigeon
- At just over half a meter long, the Eurasian wigeon packs a surprising punch: it measures 42-52 cm (17-20 in) in length, spreads its wings 71-80 cm (28-31 in) across, and weighs between 500 g and 1,073 g (1-2 lb). First named by Carl Linnaeus in the 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, it was later shifted to the resurrected genus Mareca after a 2009 study moved five wigeon species.
- When the breeding male takes to the sky, his plumage reads like a living flag: grey flanks and back, a black rear end, a dark-green speculum, a brilliant white patch on the upper wings, a pink breast, white belly, and a chestnut head crowned in cream. where they nest on the ground near water.
- The Eurasian wigeon breeds far north across Europe and the Palearctic, then embarks on a massive seasonal trek to southern Asia and Africa. In Britain and Ireland it shows up in winter in large numbers, yet only a handful of breeding pairs linger in Scotland, the Lake District, the Pennines and occasionally further south. Across the Atlantic it pops up as an uncommon winter visitor on the U.S. mid-Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and as a rare guest in the Four Corners and southern Appalachians.
- Outside the breeding season the Eurasian wigeon becomes a social butterfly, gathering in huge flocks that even mix with American wigeon and sometimes produce hybrids. It feeds by dabbling for plant material or grazing, a habit it pursues readily in open wetlands like wet grasslands or marshes with taller vegetation. Males announce their presence with a high-pitched whistle that sounds like "pjiew pjiew". This vocal chatter helps maintain flock cohesion over the open wetlands they inhabit.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeNorthern Europe, Asia
HabitatWet grasslands
DietGrass and leaves
About the Eurasian Wigeon
As the Eurasian Wigeon glides effortlessly across the wetlands, its slender neck bobbing up and down, it embodies a sense of understated elegance, its soft whistling calls carried away on the breeze. With a flick of its grey-brown wings, it takes to the skies, joining the great river of migratory birds that flow across the continent, a testament to the enduring power of nature's ancient rhythms. In the soft light of dawn, its feathers glowing with a subtle sheen, the Eurasian Wigeon is a master of subtle beauty, a fleeting glimpse of wild perfection.
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