The mallard (/ ˈmælɑːrd, ˈmælərd /) or wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. It has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Falkland Islands, and South Africa.
Meet the Mallard! This quick 2-minute introduction presents all the basic information you need to know about this common North American bird, from identification to foods, nesting behavior, range, and more.
Abundant over most of the northern hemisphere, the Mallard is the most familiar wild duck to many people, and the ancestor of most strains of domesticated ducks.
Mallard, (Anas platyrhynchos), abundant “wild duck” of the Northern Hemisphere that is the ancestor of most domestic ducks. Breeding throughout Europe, most of Asia, and northern North America, mallards winter as far south as North Africa, India, and southern Mexico.
Learn more about Mallard from… 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.
Everything you should know about the Mallard Duck. The Mallard Duck is the most common duck in the northern hemisphere, from Alaska to Mexico.
The mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, is a medium to large dabbling duck and is the most abundant duck species in North America. This species is found in all flyways and in almost any freshwater habitat. The mallard drake is often called a "greenhead" due to its distinctive iridescent green head.
The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a wild duck and the main wild parent of most domestic ducks, though some domestic types mix with other Anas species. People hunt mallards, feed them in parks, keep and breed them for release, and made domestic ducks by choosing mallard traits.