The garganey Spatula querquedula is a small dabbling duck. It breeds in much of Europe and across the Palearctic , but is strictly migratory , with the entire population moving to Africa, India in particular Santragachi , Bangladesh in the natural reservoirs of Sylhet district and Australasia during the winter of the Northern hemisphere, [ 2 ] where large flocks can occur.
This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Like other small ducks such as the Eurasian teal , this species rises easily from the water with a fast twisting wader -like flight. Their breeding habitat is grassland adjacent to shallow marshes and steppe lakes.
The first formal description of the garganey was by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. He introduced the binomial name Anas querquedula. The specific epithet is derived from Latin querquedula , a word believed to represent to its call. The common English name dates from the 17th century and comes from Lombard language gargenei , the plural of garganell , which ultimately comes from the Late Latin gargala "tracheal artery".
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 blue speculum with a white border. When swimming it will show prominent white edges on its tertials. His crown anatomy is dark and his face is reddish brown. Some care is needed in separating the brown female from the similar common teal , but the stronger face markings and more frequent head-shaking when dabbling are good indicators.
