Mallard

Adult males (drakes) have a distinct glossy bottle-green head, a white collar, chestnut-brown chest, grey flanks, and a black rear with curled tail feathers. Females (hens) are mottled brown with a buff-colored head and neck. Both sexes feature a striking violet-blue speculum wing patch bordered with white.

Green head (male), mottled brown body (female), and the vibrant violet-blue wing speculum bordered by white bars visible on both sexes.

Length: 50-65 cm (20-26 in), Wingspan: 81-98 cm (32-39 in), Weight: 720-1,580 g (1.6-3.5 lb)

The female produces the classic loud, descending quack, while the male makes a quieter, lower-pitched muffled, reedy rasp or whistle.

Omnivorous; feeds on plant matter, seeds, roots, insects, small fish, and amphibians. Forages by dabbling at the water surface or grazing on land.

Wetlands, marshes, lakes, rivers, ponds, estuaries, and urban parks with access to water and grassy areas.

Partial migrant. Northern populations migrate south for winter, while temperate and urban populations are largely resident year-round.

Nests on the ground in dense vegetation near water, well-hidden under shrubs or logs. Clutch size is typically 8-13 pale greenish-buff eggs, incubated solely by the female for about 27-28 days.

American Black Duck and mottled ducks, which are darker and lack the prominent white borders on the female Mallard's wing speculum.

Acts as an important seed disperser for aquatic plants and helps control invertebrate and mosquito populations. Serves as a key prey species for many medium-to-large predators.

Least Concern, with a stable and very large global population.

Easily observed in almost any urban or rural body of water, including city parks, ponds, lakes, and slow-moving rivers. They are generally quite habituated to humans.

The Mallard is the ancestor of nearly all domestic duck breeds (except the Muscovy duck) and frequently hybridizes with other duck species in the wild.