Eurasian Wigeon, Anas penelope, is a species of dabbling duck found in wetland, river and lake and marine inlet and transitional water ecosystems. It breeds in northern Europe, and winters in coastal areas of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and north-west Europe. This species breeds in lowland freshwater marshes, slow-flowing large rivers and shallow lakes and lagoons with ample submerged, floating and emerging vegetation. Ideal wetland habitats for this species are those surrounded by sparse open forest, woodland and especially agricultural land, in the boreal and subarctic zone. It tolerates saline or alkaline steppe lakes and wetlands. In the non-breeding season it shows a preference for coastal salt-marshes, freshwater, brackish and saline lagoons, flooded grasslands, estuaries, intertidal mudflats, and other sheltered marine habitats (European Red List 2015).

Anas penelope has a breeding population size of 79500-124000 pairs and a breeding range size of 707000 square kilometres in the EU27. The breeding population trend in the EU27 is Decreasing in the short term and Decreasing in the long term. Anas penelope has a winter population size of 1900000-2270000 individuals in the EU27. The winter population trend in the EU27 is Fluctuating in the short term and Increasing in the long term.

The EU population status of Anas penelope was assessed as Threatened, as the species meets one or more of the IUCN Red List criteria for threatened at the EU27 scale.