Species Profile
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Mallard
Quick Facts
Conservation
LCLeast ConcernLifespan
5–10 years
Length
50–65 cm
Weight
720–1580 g
Wingspan
81–98 cm
Migration
Partial migrant
Also known as: Wild Duck
Gallery
Appearance
The Mallard is a medium-sized duck with a distinctive appearance. Males have a glossy green head, narrow white collar, chestnut-brown chest, and grayish body. Their wings feature a blue speculum bordered by white.
Females are mottled brown with an orange-brown bill, often with dark markings. Both sexes have orange legs and feet. During the late summer molt, males resemble females but retain their yellow bill.
Juvenile Mallards look very similar to adult females, although they do not have the deep blue wing panel. Very young birds have dark bills, but they soon develop the characteristic yellow or orange bills of the adults.
Identification & Characteristics
Male Colors
- Primary
- Green
- Secondary
- Blue
- Beak
- Yellow
- Legs
- Orange
Female Colors
- Primary
- Brown
- Secondary
- Black
- Beak
- Orange
- Legs
- Orange
Female Markings
Mottled brown plumage with orange-brown bill often with dark markings
Attributes
Understanding Attributes
Rated 0–100 based on research and observation. A score of 50 is average across all bird species. These attributes are relative and don't necessarily indicate superiority.
Habitat & Distribution
Mallards are found across many wetland habitats, including freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers, and marshes. They also thrive in human-modified environments like city parks, agricultural areas, and suburban retention ponds.
This species has a vast distribution across North America, Europe, and Asia. It is a year-round resident in much of its range, including the UK, USA, and southern Canada, with northern populations migrating south for winter.
Where and when to see it
How often the Mallard turns up in the UK and Ireland through the year, from birdwatchers' records.
United Kingdom
Resident · all year · most records in March
Ireland
Resident · all year · most records in March
Show as a table
| Month | United Kingdom | Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2.1% (regular) | 2.0% (regular) |
| February | 2.2% (regular) | 2.1% (regular) |
| March | 2.2% (regular) | 2.2% (regular) |
| April | 2.1% (regular) | 2.1% (regular) |
| May | 2.0% (regular) | 2.0% (regular) |
| June | 1.8% (regular) | 1.7% (regular) |
| July | 1.9% (regular) | 1.7% (regular) |
| August | 1.9% (regular) | 1.7% (regular) |
| September | 1.9% (regular) | 1.9% (regular) |
| October | 1.8% (regular) | 2.0% (regular) |
| November | 2.0% (regular) | 2.0% (regular) |
| December | 2.1% (regular) | 2.0% (regular) |
Recorded regularly in
Worldwide: recorded regularly in 120 countries
Countries where it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024. Linked countries have their own bird list.
Europe (49)
- Åland Islands
- Albania
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Faroe Islands
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Guernsey
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Italy
- Jersey
- Kosovo
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Vatican City
Asia (38)
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Cambodia
- China
- Cyprus
- Georgia
- Hong Kong SAR China
- India
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lebanon
- Malaysia
- Mongolia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Nepal
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestinian Territories
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
North America (12)
Oceania (5)
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Norfolk Island
- US Outlying Islands
- Vanuatu
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made
Diet
Mallards have a varied diet, primarily consisting of plant matter such as seeds, stems, and leaves of aquatic vegetation. They also consume insects, worms, snails, and small fish.
In urban areas, they often supplement their diet with bread and other food provided by humans, though this is not recommended.
Mallards find their food on dry land, the water's surface, and below by tipping their bodies and reaching down to the bottom.
Behaviour
Mallards are highly adaptable and social ducks, often seen in large flocks. They are dabbling ducks, tipping forward in the water to feed on submerged vegetation.
On land, they waddle with a characteristic head-bobbing motion. Mallards are known for their ability to take off almost vertically from water.
Calls & Sounds
The Mallard's vocalizations are distinct and varied. Females produce the familiar loud, repetitive 'decrescendo' 'quack-quack-quack' call, consisting of two to ten rising and then falling quacking notes. This call can be heard over long distances.
Males have a softer, raspy call, often described as a low 'reeb-reeb' sound. During courtship, males also make a high-pitched whistle.
- Flight call0:00 / 0:15
Recorded in Normandie, France · March 2022
Nesting & Breeding
Mallards typically form pairs in the fall and winter months. The breeding season begins in spring, with timing varying by location. Males perform elaborate courtship displays, including head-bobbing and whistling calls.
Females construct nests on the ground near water, often concealed in vegetation. The nest is a shallow depression lined with grass and down. A typical clutch consists of 8-13 pale greenish or bluish-white eggs.
Incubation lasts about 28 days, performed solely by the female. Ducklings are precocial, leaving the nest within 24 hours of hatching. They can fly at 50-60 days old.
Conservation
While Mallards are not currently of conservation concern due to their large population and wide distribution, they face threats from habitat loss and degradation.
Wetland conservation efforts benefit Mallards and many other waterfowl species. Hunting is regulated to maintain sustainable populations.
Elevation
Sea level to 1,000 meters
Additional Details
- Predators:
- Mallards face predation from various animals, including foxes, raccoons, large fish, snapping turtles, birds of prey (such as hawks and owls), and in some areas, alligators.
Birdwatching Tips
- Look for Mallards in any wetland habitat, including urban parks and ponds
- Listen for the female's loud quack and the male's softer, raspy call
- Observe their dabbling behavior, with tails up and heads submerged
- In the UK and US, Mallards are common year-round in most areas
Did You Know?
- Mallards can sleep with one eye open, allowing half their brain to remain alert for potential dangers.
- They are the ancestors of most domestic duck breeds, except for the Muscovy duck.
- Mallards can fly at speeds up to 55 miles per hour (88 km/h).
Community Photos
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