Pl. XXVII
The Birds · Plate XXVII
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Anatidae · Taxon 6930
| Length | 50–65 cm (19.7–25.6 in) |
| Wingspan | 82–95 cm (32.3–37.4 in) |
| Weight | 1.0–1.3 kg (35.3–45.9 oz) |
Field marks
- Large, hefty duck with a rounded head and broad, flat bill.
- Breeding male: iridescent green head, yellow bill, narrow white neck ring, chestnut-brown breast, and gray body.
- Female and juvenile: mottled brown overall with an orange bill marked in black.
- Both sexes show a metallic blue wing speculum bordered in white.
- Tail is short and blunt; males show a black rear and curled black central tail feathers in breeding plumage.
- Orange legs and webbed feet.
HabitatAlmost any natural or artificial wetland, including marshes, ponds, lakes, rivers, estuaries, and sheltered coastal waters; also uses nearby open fields and grassland.
BehaviorDabbling duck; feeds by tipping forward in shallow water and grazing, and only rarely dives.
Palette
iridescent greenchestnut brownmottled tan-brownslate grayspeculum blue