Emerald WingsEMERALD WINGS
EN 中文
Eurasian Wigeon（Eurasian Wigeon） Photo: Laitche · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗
← Back to the guide
Ducks, geese and swansWinter and passage visitor

Mareca penelope

Eurasian Wigeon

A winter duck often grazing in groups beside water.

A recording has not been added yet. Use the identification notes below for now.

I know this bird · Record a sighting Where to look & how to find it ↓

FIELDCRAFT · FIND WITH CARE

Finding guide

Season first

Choose the season, find the habitat, then watch patiently. Search guidance is not a measure of rarity or conservation status.

When to go
Mainly autumn to spring, including passage
Where to start
Shallow wetland reserve margins, flooded fields and estuary viewpoints.
What to do when you arrive
In autumn and winter, watch ducks on shallow water and adjoining wet grassland and listen for whistles. Males have pale foreheads; view grazing birds from hides.

Habitat and behaviour reference: BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · The practical steps are editorial advice based on the references, not live sightings.

Public visiting destinations on the island of Ireland Numbers correspond to the destination descriptions below; markers are not wildlife locations or entrance directions. 1. East Coast Nature Reserve · public viewpoints. 2. Belfast Window on Wildlife. 1 2 DESTINATIONS · NOT FOR NAVIGATION
What does the map mark?

Markers show approximate public destinations or visitor bases, not individuals, nests, rare plants or exact entrances. Follow the operator’s routes and signs for access.

Base map: Natural Earth · Public domain
Destination positions: © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL

  1. East Coast Nature Reserve · public viewpoints

    Older site guide

    BirdWatch Ireland’s Autumn 2014 site guide documents the associated waterbirds and Kingfisher, and summer Spotted Flycatcher. It establishes site associations, not current presence; follow the species season above.

    Before you goVisits are possible year-round, but the coastal trail closes in winter: view from the adjoining sea bank then. Stay on marked routes, keep gates closed and respect fences. Parking is limited, surfaces uneven; only guide dogs are permitted.

    Official routes & visiting information ↗ Find the destination on OpenStreetMap ↗
    Destination evidence & review date

    Sources reviewed: · A review date is not a sighting date; recheck access before travelling.

  2. Belfast Window on Wildlife

    Operator or specialist guide

    The RSPB visitor guide names Lapwing, Wigeon and Teal. Only public visitor-site associations are used, not assumed views of birds from inaccessible reserve compartments.

    Before you goCheck the date-specific calendar: centre, hides and reserve have different hours. Harbour Meadows is not public access; accessibility also differs between roadside and trackside hides.

    Official routes & visiting information ↗ Find the destination on OpenStreetMap ↗
    Destination evidence & review date

    Sources reviewed: · A review date is not a sighting date; recheck access before travelling.

SPECIES NOTESSpecies notes
01

How to identify it

Males have a chestnut head, cream forehead, pinkish breast and grey body. Females are warm brown; both have a short blue-grey bill with dark tip. Eclipse males can look brown.

02

Habitat

Marshes, shallow lakes, wet grassland, estuaries and water margins.

03

Behaviour

Feeds largely on aquatic plants and grass, often grazing beside tidal areas.

04

When to look

Mainly autumn to spring, including passage

05

Where to look

Shallow wetland reserve margins, flooded fields and estuary viewpoints.

Reference photos do not show every sex, age, season or geographic form; use the identification notes too.

Further reading:BirdWatch Ireland ↗ · Wikipedia ↗

COMMUNITY SIGHTINGS

Recent encounters

0 public sightings
◌

No public sightings yet.
Yours could be the first.