Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos · Bird, Vertebrate, Warm-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Family Anatidae, Order Anseriformes, Class Aves
Animal Category
Waterfowl
Breed / Variety
Wild Mallard drake
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Status is Least Concern with a stable population trend.
About This Creature
A medium-sized dabbling duck with a length of 50-65 cm and weight of 0.7-1.6 kg. The adult male (drake) features a distinctive glossy bottle-green head, a white neck ring, chestnut-brown breast, greyish body, and a curled black tail feather. Females are mottled brown.
Physical Characteristics
Features a streamlined body, broad flat yellowish-orange bill, webbed orange feet, rounded head, and pointed wings adapted for powerful flight. Prominent blue speculum patch bordered by white on the wings.
Behavior & Temperament
Social birds often found in flocks. Diurnal, highly adaptable, omnivorous dabblers. Males use elaborate courtship displays and vocalize with a soft quack or whistle, while females produce a louder quack.
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
Native to temperate and subtropical areas of North America, Eurasia, and North Africa; introduced globally.
Habitat
Wetland/Marsh, Freshwater (River/Lake), Semi-aquatic
Diet & Nutrition
Omnivorous; feeds on aquatic plants, seeds, insects, small fish, and amphibians by dabbling or tipping up in shallow water.
Lifespan & Health
Lifespan is 5-10 years in the wild, up to 20 years in captivity. Subject to avian diseases, predation by mammals and large birds of prey, and hunted by humans.
Special Characteristics
Ancestors of almost all domestic duck breeds. Highly adaptable to urban environments and human presence.
Ecological Information
Serves as prey for various predators, aids in seed and invertebrate dispersal across wetland ecosystems, and helps control aquatic plant and insect populations.