Least Concern

Length about 50–65 cm; wingspan 80–95 cm; weight ~450–1,200 g. Slim, long-necked duck with a pointed tail (especially prominent in males)

Breeds in northern Europe, Asia, and North America; migratory from breeding areas in temperate and subarctic regions.

Winters in southern Europe, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and southern North America depending on population. Some populations are partially resident in milder climates.

Spring to early summer in breeding range: May–July. Timing depends on local climate and snow melt in high-latitude areas.

Nests on the ground, usually concealed in tall grasses or shrubs near water. Clutch size 7–12 eggs; female incubates, and chicks are precocial and feed themselves shortly after hatching.

Breeds in marshes, tundra ponds, shallow lakes, wet meadows. Winters in coastal wetlands, estuaries, flooded fields, and freshwater lakes. Prefers open shallow wetlands.

Omnivorous: seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates (insects, crustaceans, mollusks). Feeds by dabbling and upending in shallow water, occasionally grazing on land.