Here’s a complete and detailed overview of the Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) — one of the world’s most familiar and widespread wild ducks, often recognized as the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds.

🦆 **Mallard / Wild Duck (Anas platyrhynchos)**

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anas
Species: A. platyrhynchos

Common names: Mallard, Wild Duck, Greenhead (male), Stock Duck

General Description

The Mallard is a medium to large dabbling duck and one of the most abundant and recognizable waterfowl species worldwide. Its striking sexual dimorphism (distinct male and female plumage) makes identification easy year-round.

Length: 50–65 cm
Wingspan: 81–98 cm
Weight: 700–1,600 g
Male (drake):
- Glossy green head
- White neck ring
- Chestnut-brown breast
- Grey body and black tail curl
- Yellow bill
Female (hen):
- Mottled brown plumage for camouflage
- Orange bill with black markings
- Blue wing patch (speculum) bordered by white, shared by both sexes
Eyes: Dark brown
Legs: Orange-red

Distribution

The Mallard has one of the widest distributions of any bird species in the world.

Native range:
- Europe, Asia, and North America
Introduced:
- Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and various oceanic islands
Breeding range: Across temperate and subarctic zones of the Northern Hemisphere
Wintering range: Migrates south to southern Europe, North Africa, South Asia, and Central America

Habitat

Mallards are extremely adaptable and occupy a wide range of wetland habitats, including:

Lakes, rivers, and ponds
Marshes and flooded meadows
Estuaries and coastal lagoons
City parks, ornamental ponds, and agricultural fields

They thrive near human settlements, often coexisting closely with people.

Behavior and Ecology

Activity: Diurnal, but can feed at night, especially in urban areas.
Social structure: Often in pairs during breeding, flocks in winter.
Flight: Strong, fast fliers; capable of speeds up to 88 km/h (55 mph).
Migration:
- Northern populations migrate south in winter.
- Temperate-zone birds often remain resident year-round.

Diet

A true omnivore and dabbling feeder, the Mallard feeds mainly at the water’s surface rather than diving.

Natural diet:
- Seeds, aquatic plants, roots, and algae
- Invertebrates (insects, snails, crustaceans, worms)
- Small fish and amphibians occasionally
In urban areas: Readily consumes grain, bread, and other human-provided foods, though this is nutritionally poor.

Reproduction

Breeding season: March–July (depending on latitude)
Courtship: Begins in winter; includes displays like head-pumping and synchronized calls.
Nesting:
- On the ground near water, in tall grass or reeds
- Occasionally on rooftops or tree hollows
Clutch size: 7–13 eggs
Incubation: 26–30 days, by the female alone
Ducklings: Precocial — leave the nest within 12–24 hours of hatching and follow the mother to water
Fledging: 7–8 weeks after hatching

Lifespan

Wild: Typically 5–10 years, though some individuals exceed 15 years
Captivity: Up to 20 years

Predators and Threats

Eggs and ducklings: Crows, magpies, foxes, raccoons, herons, large fish
Adults: Foxes, eagles, hawks, owls, and humans
Major threats:
- Habitat degradation
- Lead poisoning from spent ammunition
- Pollution
- Over-hybridization with domestic ducks

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List: 🟩 Least Concern
Population trend: Stable or increasing globally
Estimated global population: >19 million mature individuals

Mallards are abundant and widespread, and in many areas their numbers are enhanced by urban feeding and mild winters.

Ecological Role

Seed dispersal: By feeding on aquatic plants and spreading seeds through feces.
Food web importance: A key prey species for many predators.
Hybridization: Interbreeds readily with other duck species (e.g., Anas rubripes, Anas diazi), which can threaten rarer relatives genetically.

Identification Summary

Feature	Description
Male head	Glossy green
Female color	Mottled brown
Bill	Yellow (male), orange-black (female)
Speculum	Blue-purple with white border
Tail	Upturned black curl in males
Call	Loud “quack-quack” (female); softer in males
Habitat	Lakes, ponds, rivers, wetlands, cities
Diet	Seeds, aquatic plants, invertebrates

Interesting Facts

The Mallard is the ancestral species of nearly all domestic ducks (except Muscovy).
Only the female “quacks” — males produce softer rasping sounds.
In urban environments, Mallards can become semi-tame and breed multiple times per year.
They have been observed sleeping on one leg with half their brain awake — a behavior called unihemispheric slow-wave sleep.
Hybridization with domestic ducks can produce colorful or odd-plumaged offspring, often seen in city ponds.

In Europe

Common across Estonia, Finland, the UK, France, and Central Europe year-round.
Migratory individuals arrive in southern Europe and North Africa during winter.
A familiar sight even in urban parks, symbolizing adaptability and coexistence with humans.