Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Male (left) and female (right) Mallards.	General Description: Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are sexually dimorphic pond ducks. Females are mottled brown with a bold eyeline, an orange bill, orange feet, and a blue wing patch (speculum) bordered on both sides by white. Males have bright colors: the head is iridescent green, the breast is reddish, the sides are gray, and the back is dark. There is a white neck band, yellow bill, and orange feet, and several curled feathers just above the tail. Males also have the blue speculum bordered on both sides by white. Favored Habitat: Ponds and marshes.
Male Mallard. Note curled tail feathers.	Where to Find: Neighborhood ponds, parks (e.g., Lorenzi Park and Sunset Park), the Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, and Boulder Beach Marina at Lake Mead NRA. To find them in more natural habitat, visit the Pahranagat Valley. Comments: Wild Mallards tend to be small like other ducks, but domestic mallards are much larger and often mix with wild birds.
	Male Mallard out of water. Note green head set off from reddish breast by a white line, a yellow bill, and orange feet.
	Female Mallard showing blue speculum with white borders.
	Female Mallard. Typical view with speculum concealed.
	Female Mallard out of water. Note the mottled brown appearance, including belly, with a dark eyeline and orange feet.
	Two pairs of Mallards in typical habitat.

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
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© Jim Boone; Last updated 080205