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Garganeys are relatively small dabbling ducks. Their plumage is dimorphic, i.e. males and females are different. Male Garganeys have a characteristic pattern, with a broad black central longitudinal stripe and two adjacent broad white stripes running the length of the head. The rest of the head and the entire front are finely barred brown and dark grey-brown, while the flanks are finely barred light-grey and white. The wings show a bold black-and white stripe pattern. The undertail coverts and the rump are vermiculated light-brown and mid-brown. Females have cryptic plumage. Apart from a dark eye-stripe surrounded by a pale stripe below and a pale supercilium above it, their most characteristic feature is a white chin patch. Their front is light-brown, barred with darker grey-brown. The sides are coloured as the front, but with much bolder vermiculation (broader light-brown edge lining on the feathers) and the upperwings are equally strongly vermiculated, but dark grey-brown. The wings of females have a conspicuous broad white trailing edge in flight. Both sexes have dark-brown irises, a grey to dark-grey bill and grey legs and feet. Juveniles resemble females.

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Garganey is available HERE .

Garaneys are a strongly migratory Eurasian species. Their breeding grounds are in temperate Europe and mid-latitude Asia, to Korea and Japan in the East. They spend the northern winters in the South, from southern and eastern Africa (the European and western Asian population), parts of India (mostly the western half) and South-east Asia (the far eastern Asian population). Some even reach Australia.

Except for a few stragglers, Garganeys are found in Australia as non-breeding migrants to parts of the tropical North of the continent. Information about their whereabouts in the northern interior is scarce.

Garganeys have a preference for wetlands around nutrient-rich, shallow fresh water, such as submerged pasture and steppe. In their winter grounds they can form large flocks, but not during the breeding season.

We have not found Garganeys in Australia yet, but a page describing the species is available for Europe.