Wigeon
Mareca penelope
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_wigeon
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Anseriformes
Family
Anatidae
Genus
Mareca
Wigeon belongs to the family Anatidae, order Anseriformes, within the Aves class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Wigeon faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat loss from wetland drainage and agricultural conversion across its breeding and wintering grounds. Climate change is altering precipitation patterns and temperature regimes, disrupting the timing of migration and breeding cycles while degrading critical wetland ecosystems. Hunting pressure and disturbance at key staging areas further compound these threats, pushing populations toward critical levels.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Shallow freshwater lakes, marshes, flooded grasslands, and coastal lagoons with abundant aquatic vegetation. During winter, the species utilizes estuarine mudflats, coastal marshes, and agricultural fields near water bodies.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Wigeon faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat loss from wetland drainage and agricultural conversion across its breeding and wintering grounds. Climate change is altering precipitation patterns and temperature regimes, disrupting the timing of migration and breeding cycles while degrading critical wetland ecosystems. Hunting pressure and disturbance at key staging areas further compound these threats, pushing populations toward critical levels.
Agricultural intensification and land conversion
Climate change impacts on breeding and migration timing
Wetland habitat loss and degradation
Hunting pressure and human disturbance
Water pollution and eutrophication
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Wigeon (Mareca penelope). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/wigeon