Garganey in Uganda
The garganey is also known as Spatula querquedula and it is a small dabbling duck that breeds mostly in some parts of Europe and across the Palearctic. The garganey is strictly a migratory bird species where a big flock moves towards Sub-Saharan Africa and settles in several parts including Uganda.
Migration among birds is one of the world’s best extraordinary wonders birds move all throughout the year making return journeys in a few months most birds in the northern hemisphere migrate they move to the southern hemisphere birds move due to survival chances, climatic changes that lead to better feeding environments, and breeding purposes.
And yes, the Garganey in Uganda can be seen in Queen Elizabeth national park and Bigodi swamp in western parts of the country, and the best time to see this specie is early morning and in the late evening.
Migration among birds is one of the world’s best extraordinary wonders birds move all throughout the year making return journeys in a few months most birds in the northern hemisphere migrate they move to the southern hemisphere birds move due to survival chances, climatic changes that lead to better feeding environments, and breeding purposes.
This species breeds in grassland adjacent to shallow marshes and steppe lakes across Eurasia.
The male has a big white eyebrow on dark brown head, pale gray flanks; pale gray forewing striking in flight; when swimming it will show prominent white edges on its tertials while the female is very similar to the female Green-winged Teal but head pattern more contrasting, with paler eyebrow, darker eyestripe, and an unstreaked whitish throat.
Looking at the measurements of the garganey, the bird has a size of 41 cm with a weight of about 300-440 g while the wingspan is between 58-69 cm.
The garganey feeds mainly by skimming rather than upending.
The male has a distinguishing crackling mating call while the female is rather silent for a female duck, but it can manage a feeble quack.
The garganey is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. The status of the garganey on the IUCN Red List is least concern.
Book your Uganda birding trip with Africa Adventure Vacations to spot several bird species.
