Size: Length; 51cm. Weight; 970g.

Habitat and distribution: Iceland, North Europe and North Asia. Freshwater marshes, lakes and lagoons.

Age: 9 years.

Breeding: Nest in a depression on ground, lined with grass and down. Lay up to 12 eggs which take up to 25 days to incubate.

Diet: Leaves, stems, roots, seeds and aquatic vegetation

• Well-known for its whistling call ‘wheeooo’. This species occurs in huge numbers during the winter on the coastal marshes and fens of Norfolk.
• One of the 147 species of the Anatidae family, which are all ducks, geese and swans, more commonly known as wildfowl or waterfowl.
• Waterfowl bodies are adapted for a highly aquatic life, with webbed feet for swimming and a body shaped to improve buoyancy in the water and a thick covering of feathers for insulation. Different species specialise to fill different niches.  
• All species have an oil-gland which is used whilst preening to maintain waterproofing of their feathers; the oil-gland is highly developed in this family.
• All species have salt glands above each eye, which filter the blood and excrete excess salt.
• Wildfowl have had a long association with humans; the Mallard is the direct ancestor of almost all current breeds of domestic duck. Humans utilise this family for meat, eggs, and feathers and in some countries they are even kept around houses to control insect numbers.