Duck
Dabbling ducks Teal (Anas crecca)
Te teal is our smallest duck. Te male has a chestnut head with a broad, green eye-patch, a speckled breast and a black-edged, yellow tail. Te female is mainly motled brown. Both sexes show distinctive black and bright green wing-patches in flight. Juveniles are very similar to the female with spoted underparts.
Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Although its colourings are similar to the familiar mallard, the shoveler’s broad, shovel-like bill is unmistakable. Te male has a glossy green head, white breast and chestnut belly. Te female is motled brown and patches of pale blue can be seen on the forewings in flight. Juveniles resemble the female with less motling on the upperparts and more streaks on the underparts.
Sawbills
Red-breasted merganser (Mergus serrator)
A crest of shaggy, green head- feathers distinguishes the male red-breasted merganser from the similar-looking goosander. Its elegant, streamlined body is black and white above, and the underparts are white, with reddish-brown motling on the breast. Te female has a brown head which merges into the neck and breast feathers. Both sexes have a slender red bill. Juveniles are similar to the female but duller and have a shorter crest.
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Goosander (Mergus merganser)
Female
Cumbrian distribution: fairly common resident and common winter visitor. Breeds in small numbers.
Habitats: coastal and wetland.
Conservation status: Amber.
Cumbrian Wildlife | November 2025
Te male is white, sometimes with a pink glow to the sides and breast, and has a dark green head and black back. Te female is grey with a gingery head and a white throat which, unlike the red-breasted merganser, is sharply divided from the chin and neck. Juveniles resemble the female but the bill is brown, the crest is shorter and young birds have a black and white strip behind the eyes.
Female
Cumbrian distribution: fairly common resident, joined by winter visitors. Breeds in small numbers.
Male
Habitats: coastal, freshwater, wetlands and floodplain meadows.
Conservation status: Amber. Female
Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Te wigeon is a medium-sized duck with a round head and short bill. Te male is grey with a pink breast, chestnut head and pale forehead. White shoulders and green wing-patches can be seen in flight. Te female is rusty brown. Juveniles are similar to the female with motled underparts.
Cumbrian distribution: uncommon resident and abundant winter visitor. Breeds in very small numbers.
Habitats: coastal, wetland and grassland.
Conservation status:Amber. Male
Cumbrian distribution: uncommon resident and fairly common winter visitor. Breeds in very small numbers.
Male
Habitats:wetland and grassland.
Conservation status: Amber. Female Female
Male
Cumbrian distribution: common resident and winter visitor. Breeds in moderate numbers.
Habitats: coastal and wetland. Conservation status: Green.
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© AMY LEWIS
© BERTIE GREGORY/2020VISION
© GUY EDWARDES/2020VISION
© GUY EDWARDES/2020VISION
© BERTIE GREGORY/2020VISION
© RICHARD STEEL/2020VISION
© CHRIS GOMERSALL/2020VISION
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