Breeding male © Christoph Moning eBird S28825651 Macaulay Library ML 63736171
Female © Joshua Vandermeulen
Breeding male © Cynthia King
Immature male © Mason Maron
Nonbreeding male © Christoph Moning
+ 7
Nonbreeding male and female © Linda Lewis
Female and chick © Bruce Gates
Breeding male © Herb Elliott
Breeding male and female © Jonathan Irons
Breeding male and female © Christopher Shell
Male (hybrid with American Black Duck) © Michael O'Brien

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

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Identification

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A large duck, generally common and familiar within its extensive range. Males are distinctive with iridescent green head, yellow bill, chestnut breast, and gray body. Females are mottled brown with orange and black splotches on the bill. Found anywhere with water, including city parks, backyard creeks, and various wetland habitats. Often in flocks, and frequently mixes with other duck species. In North America, females can be tricky to distinguish from American Black Duck, Mottled Duck, and Mexican Duck where ranges overlap. Those species are all darker-bodied than Mallard. A good view of the wing can be helpful, too: white wingbars on the leading and trailing edges of the blue wing patch are bolder on Mallard. Frequently hybridizes with those species, which can be even more confusing. Any bird with extensive white in the tail or curled feathers above the tail has some Mallard genes.

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