The WIGEON’s name in the Irish Language is ‘Rualacha’. The Latin name is ‘MARECA PENELOPE’. It is an AMBER listed bird in Ireland.

It is a duck. Females look like female mallards. Collective nouns for the wigeon are;  flock, team, raft, brace, bunch of Wigeons. The Wigeon can symbolise intuition or psychic abilities and is sometimes associated with goddesses of wisdom, self awareness. Out here in the Rogerstown estuary you can hear the Widgeon's whistle throughout the day, it's like a 'wheee-ooooooo', females make a different type of sound, like a growl. Garrett talks about the OPEN SEASON ORDER (The legislation in Ireland for the hunting of certain birds.) The Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, provides wigeons with protection against being captured, killed or injured, and also makes it illegal to damage or destroy their nests or eggs. The name ‘wigeon’ is thought to be derived from the Middle French or Old French words vigeon, vingeon and vignier, meaning “to whine or shout”, which echoes the sharp, piercing whistle made by males.

You can recap by listening to Garrett’s other HIDE FM podcasts to date by searching HIDE FM on any podcast distributor, apart from Spotify. HIDE FM is a Per Cent for Art commission by Fingal County Council.

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