Gadwall
Mareca strepera · A plain gray duck with a black rear end and a white wing patch in flight.
- Length
- 18–22 in
- Weight
- 1.1–2.2 lb
- Wingspan
- 33 in
- Group
- Dabbling duck
Typical adult size. Drakes run larger than hens.
How to identify a gadwall
Drake
Finely patterned gray body, brownish head, and a jet-black rear end. Black bill.
Hen
Mottled brown like a hen mallard but smaller, with a steeper forehead and an orange bill with dark edges on top. White belly.
In flight
Look for the small, square white patch at the back of the inner wing on both sexes. Pointed wings, white belly.
Look-alikes
- Mallard: Hen mallards are bigger, with a blue speculum and a mostly orange bill with a dark saddle.
- American wigeon: Wigeon show a big white patch on the front of the wing, not the back.
Gadwall gallery
Gadwall limits in six Mid-South states
| State | Gadwall daily limit | Possession | Total daily ducks | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MississippiNov 27–29; Dec 4–6; Dec 9, 2026–Jan 31, 2027 | Counts toward the 6-duck daily total, no separate limit | 3 times the daily limit Not confirmed Opening-day possession wording in the Digest (check the official source) | 6 ducks a day | MDWFP Hunting Seasons and Bag Limits · checked Oct 22, 2026 Mississippi rules |
| TennesseeNov 28–29; Dec 5, 2026–Jan 31, 2027 | Counts toward the 6-duck daily total, no separate limit | 3 times the daily limit, except 1 times on opening day and 2 times on the second day | 6 ducks a day | TWRA Waterfowl and Migratory Birds · checked Oct 22, 2026 Tennessee rules |
| ArkansasNov 21–29; Dec 10–23; Dec 26, 2026–Jan 31, 2027 | Counts toward the 6-duck daily total, no separate limit | 3 times the daily limit | 6 ducks a day | AGFC Waterfowl Season Dates, Rules and Regulations · checked Oct 22, 2026 Arkansas rules |
| LouisianaEast Zone Nov 21–Dec 6 and Dec 19–Jan 31; West Zone Nov 14–Dec 6 and Dec 19–Jan 24 | Counts toward the 6-duck daily total, no separate limit | 3 times the daily limit | 6 ducks a day | LDWF Seasons and Regulations · checked Oct 22, 2026 Louisiana rules |
| MissouriNorth Oct 31–Dec 29; Middle Nov 7–Dec 13 and Dec 19–Jan 10; South Nov 26–29 and Dec 7–Jan 31 | Counts toward the 6-duck daily total, no separate limit | 3 times the daily limit | 6 ducks a day | MDC 2026–27 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Digest · checked Oct 22, 2026 Missouri rules |
| KentuckyNov 26–29; Dec 7, 2026–Jan 31, 2027 | Counts toward the 6-duck daily total, no separate limit | 3 times the daily limit | 6 ducks a day | KDFWR 2026–27 Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Guide · checked Oct 22, 2026 Kentucky rules |
Regular-season limits from each state’s official 2026-27 regulations. Possession limits count birds at home too. Federal rules apply on top of state rules, and some WMAs and refuges set stricter limits. Louisiana and Missouri set duck seasons by zone; the dates shown are for every zone.
When and where on public land
Timing
Arrives in numbers in November and stays through the season. One of the most common ducks in the bag across the Mid-South.
Habitat
Open shallow water with plenty of submerged plants: lakes, reservoirs, moist-soil units and big flooded fields. Common on Reelfoot and the oxbows.
More dabbling ducks
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