Family Ducks, Geese, Swans (Anatidae)

Least Concern

Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)

Taxonomy

French: Canard siffleur German: Pfeifente Spanish: Silbón europeo

Taxonomy:

Anas Penelope

Linnaeus

, 1758,

coasts and swamps of Europe

Normally placed in Anas. Closest to M. americana and M. sibilatrix. Morphological characters support a sister relationship between present species and M. americana, with M. sibilatrix basal to the two, whereas mtDNA suggests that divergence of present species took place before that of M. americana and M. sibilatrix#R. In addition, morphology indicates a sister relationship between the three wigeon species and M. falcata, with M. strepera basal to these four species, but mtDNA supports a sister relationship between M. strepera and M. falcata to the exclusion of the wigeons#R. Present species hybridizes with M. americana and infrequently with other duck species#R. Monotypic.

Distribution:

From Iceland and N Britain E across N Europe and N Asia to Pacific coast. In winter moves to C & S Europe, S Asia and N & C Africa, and reaches North America.

Descriptive notes

42–51 cm; male mostly 600–1000 g, female 500–800 g; wingspan 71–86 cm. Male has chestnut head and neck, with yellowish crown, sometimes has metallic... read more

Voice

Most characteristic is piercing, whistled “whee-OOO” by male, given both in flight, on water or... read more

Habitat

Shallow, freshwater marshes, lakes and lagoons surrounded by scattered trees or open forest during... read more

Food and feeding

Essentially vegetarian; leaves, stems, roots, rhizomes and seeds of grasses, sedges and aquatic vegetation, e.g. saltmarsh grass (... read more

Breeding

Starts Apr–Jun, varying across range according to latitude, with nests sometimes initiated in Apr in Scotland, but may not arrive on... read more

Movements

Basically migratory, descending to lower latitudes to winter throughout most of W & C Europe,... read more

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Abundant, concentrates in large numbers in wintering grounds, at which season five main populations identified, namely in NW Europe (... read more

Bibliography

Public comments

Recommended citation

Carboneras, C., Christie, D.A. & Kirwan, G.M. (2019). Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/52862 on 11 December 2019).

Scientific classification

Class: Aves

Order: Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae

Subfamily: Anatinae

Tribe: Anatini

Genus: Mareca Stephens, 1824

— Show genus text —

A mtDNA study corroborated the monophyly of Mareca, but placed this clade among other dabbling ducks, thereby possibly making Anas paraphyletic#R. More recently, separation of this genus from Anas supported by another genetic study#R.

See full taxonomic structure and notes

News on this species

Juvenile Wigeon soon learn to avoid hunters

Juvenile and adult male Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope) are easily distinguished by forewing coloration both in the field and in the hand. An analysis of wings collected by Danish hunters during the 2013/2014 hunting season reveals that whereas juveniles are 7–20 times more likely than adults to be shot at the beginning of the season in September, they are only 2–3 times more likely to be killed by early October. The result clearly applies to both sexes since each was equally represented in the wing sample. A finding of this type clearly needs to be taken into account when using hunting data in population dynamics studies#R.