Wigeon (Mareca penelope)Where and when to see it in the UK
Winter visitor · reporting peaks October to February · Ducks, Swans, and Geese · BOU category AE*F
Peak months
Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (grid squares, place names from OS Open Names). Northern Ireland place names: OSNI Open Data, OGL v3.0. County and country boundaries: Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0. Coastline: Natural Earth. Bird records from the data partners listed here.
Wigeon has been recorded in 1,874 of the 2,971 10 km squares covering UK land (63%) in records to 2026. Winter visitor in the UK. Its strongest squares are in England, Scotland and Wales. Reporting peaks in October to February.
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, LC)
View on the IUCN Red List- Very high
- 43% or more of visits
- High
- 17% to 43%
- Moderate
- 6% to 17%
- Low
- under 6%
- Surveyed, not recorded
- at least 20 qualifying visits, no record
- Insufficient records
- too few visits to say
- Lighter fill
- Few visits, lower confidence
- Small dot
- Occasional: a single record, or out of season
Relative to this species' best squares (how classes are calculated)
Seasonality
| Month | Relative to peak | Share of visits | Typical class |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 95% | 22% | Very high |
| February | 86% | 20% | Very high |
| March | 77% | 18% | Very high |
| April | 34% | 8% | Low |
| May | 15% | 3% | Low |
| June | 9% | 2% | Low |
| July | 8% | 2% | Low |
| August | 17% | 4% | Low |
| September | 65% | 15% | Moderate |
| October | 90% | 21% | Very high |
| November | 100% | 23% | Very high |
| December | 94% | 22% | Very high |
Squares with the highest reporting rate in January
| Square | Where | Share of visits | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| H24 | Fermanagh and Omagh, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| H76 | Mid Ulster, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| HT93 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HU36 | Shetland Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY30 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY40 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| HY64 | Orkney Islands, Scotland | 100% | Very high |
| J21 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| J44 | Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland | 100% | Very high |
| NB53 | Na h-Eileanan Siar, Scotland | 100% | Very high |