Anas platyrhynchos
The mallard is a large member of the duck family here in the UK. They have long, wide bills and long bodies. Males have a very distinctive dark green head, yellow beak, grey on the body with a purple-brown breast. Females are mainly brown with orange bills.
When it comes to breeding, mallards breed all over the UK throughout summer and winter, in suitable wetland habitats. Mallards in the UK may be either resident breeders or migrants. It is common for breeding birds from Iceland and northern Europe to spend winter in the UK.
Their diets mainly consist of seeds, berries and acorns, insects, shellfish and plants.
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