Mallard

Mallard
Mallard female (front) and male (rear)
Male mallard duck
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Aves
Order:	Anseriformes
Family:	Anatidae
Subfamily:	Anatinae
Genus:	Anas
Binomial name
Anas platyrhynchos

Anas platyrhynchos

The mallard (/ˈmælɑːrd, ˈmælərd/) or wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is the most widespread, best-known and most recognizable duck species. It can be found throughout most of North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia. It can be found in almost any area with a wetland habitat, even in urban areas.

Description

The mallard is a large and heavy looking duck. It has a body and a long and a broad bill. The male has a dark green head, a yellow bill, is mainly purple-brown on the breast and grey on the body. The female is mainly brown with an orange bill. The males (drakes) have green heads, while the females (hens) have mainly brown-speckled plumage. Both have an area of white-bordered black or iridescent purple or blue feathers called a speculum on their wings; males especially tend to have blue speculum feathers. The mallard is 50–65 cm (20–26 in) long, of which the body makes up around two-thirds the length. The wingspan is 81–98 cm (32–39 in) and the bill is 4.4 to 6.1 cm (1.7 to 2.4 in) long. It is often slightly heavier than most other dabbling ducks, weighing 0.7–1.6 kg (1.5–3.5 lb).

Habitat

It breeds in all parts of the Europe in summer and winter, wherever there are suitable wetland habitats, even arctic tundras. It is scarcer in upland areas.