Mallards

Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are among the most familiar wild ducks, a dabbling species native to Eurasia and North America. They inhabit a broad range of freshwater wetlands, including lakes, rivers, and ponds, and are common in urban parks and other altered landscapes. They are widely distributed and often the most visible waterfowl in temperate regions.

Male mallards, or drakes, have a glossy green head, a white collar, a chestnut breast, and a gray body with a curled black tail. Females are mottled brown with an orange-brown bill speckled with dark markings. Juveniles resemble females but typically show duller plumage. Mallards feed by dabbling at the surface and tipping up to reach underwater vegetation and invertebrates, as well as seeds and grain.

Breeding occurs in spring; the female builds a ground nest near water, incubates a clutch of about 6 to 12 eggs for roughly 28 days, and raises the ducklings on her own. In many populations, birds migrate seasonally, moving to milder areas in winter, though some groups are year-round residents. Mallards are the primary ancestors of most domestic ducks and readily hybridize with related species; feral populations are widespread.

Conservation status is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN due to a large and widespread population. Key threats include wetland habitat loss, pollution, and hunting pressure, with disease such as avian influenza posing episodic risks. Their ecological role includes seed dispersal and serving as prey for a range of predators.