Eurasian Wigeon

Anas penelope

© 2025
Share   
0 recent observations

Brief #

Male has a grey back, black tail, pink breast, white belly, and a chestnut head with a creamy crown, female is light brown.

Synonyms #

  • Silbón europeo (Spanish)
  • Asubiador (Galician)

Red List Status #

The Eurasian Wigeon is unlikely to become extinct in the near future.
Find out more about IUCN's Red List program here

Description #

Breeding male has grey flanks and back, with a black rear end, a dark green speculum and a brilliant white patch on upper wings, obvious in flight or at rest. It has a pink breast, white belly, and a chestnut head with a creamy crown. In non-breeding (eclipse) plumage, the drake looks more like the female. The female is light brown, with plumage much like a female American wigeon. It can be distinguished from most other ducks, apart from American wigeon, on shape. However, that species has a paler head and white axillaries on its underwing. The female can be a rufous morph with a redder head, and a gray morph with a more gray head.

Measurements #

Length: 45 - 51 cm
Wingspan: 75 - 86 cm
Weight: 500 - 900 g

Similar species #