English: Eurasian Wigeon, European Wigeon
Russian: Свиязь
German: Pfeifente
French: Canard siffleur
Mongolian: Зээрд нугас
Japanese: ヒドリガモ (Hidori-gamo)

Body length: 42-50 cm
Wing span:  71-85 cm

Breeding season: May-September

Egg number: 7-8 (occasionally 6-10)
Egg color:  Creamy-white
Brood: 1 per year

Global status: Least Concern
Regional status: Least Concern

Habitat: Breeds on boreal forest lakes and marshes, tundra pools, also on temperate shallow fresh waters. Migratory in N, wintering largely in marine habitats, also lakes and reservoirs. Gregarious except when nesting. Vegetarian; often grazes on arable fields in winter.

Identification: Medium-sized, short-necked, with rounded, comparatively large head, small bill and pointed tail. In flight, these characters apparent as well as narrow neck, pointed wings, and outer wing generally swept back. Flight fast. In all plumages, note distinct white belly patch. Axillaries and underwing-coverts dusky pale grey.

• Adult ♂ breeding: Unmistakable; head and neck chestnut, forehead and crown creamy-yellow, breast greyish-pink, rest of body grey with white and black stern. In flight, large white patch on upper forewing striking, speculum green.
• Adult ♀: Rather dull rufous-brown or greyish (some variation, with inclination towards two morphs) with variable diffuse mottling and blotching (some are rather plain), best recognized by; rather dark plumage; shape; small, pale blue-grey bill with black tip; and contrasting white belly. Speculum dull, dark; innermost secondaries usually edged pale, forming narrow whitish patch (recalling 1st year ♀ Gadwall)
• Adult ♂ eclipse: Resembles adult ♀ but retains white upper forewing, and plumage more rufous-tinged.
• Juvenile: As adult ♀, but white underparts often faintly mottled, and speculum still duller. 1st year ♂: As adult ♂ breeding, but upper forewing is chiefly grey-brown, not largely pure white.

Food: Green plants in wet meadows, marshy areas with short vegetation.