| IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): | Least Concern
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| Approximate size(adult): |
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)
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| Resident/ Migrate from: | Breeds in northern Europe, Asia, and North America; migratory from breeding areas in temperate and subarctic regions.
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| Migrate to: | Winters in southern Europe, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and southern North America depending on population. Some populations are partially resident in milder climates.
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| Breeding season: | Spring to early summer in breeding range: May–July. Timing depends on local climate and snow melt in high-latitude areas.
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| Breed in: | 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.
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| Habitat: | Breeds in marshes, tundra ponds, shallow lakes, wet meadows. Winters in coastal wetlands, estuaries, flooded fields, and freshwater lakes. Prefers open shallow wetlands.
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| Diet: | Omnivorous: seeds, aquatic plants, and invertebrates (insects, crustaceans, mollusks). Feeds by dabbling and upending in shallow water, occasionally grazing on land.
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