Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
The green-headed duck of ponds and parks everywhere, and the wild ancestor of nearly every farmyard duck.
- Length
- 50–65 cm
- Wingspan
- 82–95 cm
- Weight
- 1–1.3 kg
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
About this duck
The mallard is one of the most widespread ducks on Earth, at home anywhere with shallow water and a little cover, from wild marshes to city fountains. Nearly every domestic duck breed, from the white Pekin to the upright Indian Runner, descends from wild mallards. The one big exception is the Muscovy. Bold, adaptable and sociable, mallards are the perfect first duck to get to know.
How to spot one
Drakes have a glossy green head, a thin white collar, a chestnut chest and a yellow bill. Females are mottled brown with an orange bill marked by a dark patch. Both show a bright blue wing patch edged in white, often visible even when the bird is resting.