Mallard

The mallard is a widespread dabbling duck, scientifically named *Anas platyrhynchos*, and is one of the most familiar ducks in the Northern Hemisphere.

The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a widespread dabbling duck and one of the most familiar ducks in the Northern Hemisphere. It occurs across North America, Eurasia, and parts of North Africa, and is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds. Male mallards are known for their green heads and yellow bills, while females are mottled brown.

Identification

Male mallards, or drakes, are recognized by a green head, yellow bill, and distinctive body patterning. Females are mottled brown, which helps them blend into wetland vegetation during nesting.

Habitat and range

Mallards use a wide range of wetlands, including ponds, lakes, marshes, rivers, estuaries, parks, and backyards. They occur naturally across much of North America, Eurasia, and North Africa, and have also been introduced elsewhere.

Behaviour and diet

Mallards are dabbling ducks, feeding on the water’s surface or in shallow water by tipping forward. Their diet includes seeds, grasses, aquatic plants, insects, and other small aquatic animals.

Relationship to domestic ducks

Mallards are the wild ancestor of most domestic duck breeds. Their long association with people has also made them one of the best-known and most widely studied duck species.