Thegarganey (Spatula querquedula) is a smalldabbling duck. It breeds in much of Europe and across thePalearctic, but is strictlymigratory, with the entire population moving to Africa, India (in particularSantragachi), Bangladesh (in the natural reservoirs ofSylhet district) andAustralasia during the winter of the Northern hemisphere,[2] where large flocks can occur. This species was first described byCarl Linnaeus in his landmark 175810th edition ofSystema Naturae. Like other smallducks such as theEurasian teal, this species rises easily from the water with a fast twistingwader-like flight.
Their breeding habitat is grassland adjacent to shallowmarshes andsteppe lakes.
The firstformal description of the garganey was by the Swedish naturalistCarl Linnaeus in 1758 in thetenth edition of hisSystema Naturae. He introduced thebinomial nameAnas querquedula.[3] Amolecular phylogentic study comparingmitochondrial DNA sequences published in 2009 found that the genusAnas, as then defined, wasnon-monophyletic.[4] The genus was subsequently split into four monophyletic genera with ten species including the garganey moved into the resurrected genusSpatula.[5] This genus had been originally proposed by the German zoologistFriedrich Boie in 1822.[6][7] The nameSpatula is the Latin for a "spoon" or "spatula". The specific epithet is derived from Latinquerquedula, a word believed to represent to its call.[8]
The common English name dates from the 17th century and comes fromLombard languagegargenei, the plural ofgarganell, which ultimately comes from theLate Latingargala "tracheal artery".[9] The English usage owes its origins toConrad Gesner who used the Italian name in the third volume of hisHistoriae Animalium (History of Animals) of 1555.[10]
The adult male is unmistakable, with its brown head and breast with a broad white crescent over the eye. The rest of the plumage is grey, with loose grey scapular feathers. It has a grey bill and legs. In flight, it shows a pale bluespeculum with a white border. When swimming it will show prominent white edges on itstertials. Hiscrown (anatomy) is dark and his face is reddish brown.[11]
Some care is needed in separating the brown female from the similarcommon teal, but the stronger face markings and more frequent head-shaking when dabbling are good indicators. Confusion with the female of theblue-winged teal is also possible, but the head and bill shape is different, and the latter species has yellow legs. Pale eyebrow, dark eye line, palelore spot bordered by a second dark line.[11]
The garganey is one of the species to which theAgreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies. The status of the garganey on theIUCN Red List isleast concern.[1]
^Gonzalez, J.; Düttmann, H.; Wink, M. (2009). "Phylogenetic relationships based on two mitochondrial genes and hybridization patterns in Anatidae".Journal of Zoology.279 (3):310–318.doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00622.x.
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