Mallard

## Description

The mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa. Mallards live in wetlands, eat water plants and small animals, and prefer to congregate in flocks of varying sizes. Unlike many waterfowl, mallards are considered an invasive species in some regions. It is a very adaptable species, being able to live and even thrive in urban areas. This species is the main ancestor of most breeds of domestic duck, and its naturally evolved wild gene pool has been genetically polluted by the domestic and feral mallard populations.

## Appearance

The magnificent mallard is one of the most recognizable bird species around the world. When flying, the bird displays a purplish-blue speculum, which is outlined in white. Males of this species are particularly colorful. Breeding males have a yellow beak, dark brown chest, black and white tail as well as bright green head and neck. They exhibit a white ring at the base of their neck. In addition, the sides of breeding males and most of their wings are gray. On the other hand, the plumage of female mallards and non-breeding males is less vivid and colorful. The overall plumage of female mallards is spotted with tan and brown patches, and the head is a lighter tan, showing dark bands near the crown and eyes. Females have orange-colored beaks, covered with dark spots. Females and non-breeding males generally look alike, though the latter have yellowish beaks.

## Distribution

Mallards are fairly common in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In Northern Hemisphere, the birds occur: in North America, from southern and central Alaska to Mexico; in southern parts of Greenland; on the Hawaiian Islands; partly in Africa, being found in Morocco; and finally, in Eurasia, from Iceland and Scandinavia to Siberia, Japan and South Korea. In Southern Hemisphere, mallards inhabit Australia and New Zealand. The ideal habitat of this bird is freshwater areas and shallow marshes, though the mallard can be seen in nearly any area with open water, including subalpine lakes, city parks, estuaries along the coast as well as sheltered bays.

## Behavior

Being diurnal birds, mallards are active by day. Outside the breeding season, these birds are highly sociable, gathering into large flocks called "sords". These birds tend to nest along the river bank, though not necessarily near water. Mallards are migratory birds; after the breeding season, they travel from northern latitudes to warmer southern regions, where they live until the following breeding season. Meanwhile, there are resident populations, consisting of individuals that prefer wintering in areas with abundance of shelter and food. These birds have rather curious and impressive displays. For example, during confrontation, male mallards typically scare off the opponent with their open beak, face off with a head-bob as well as push one another with their breasts. When defending their home range, paired males of this species chase the intruder with amazing vigor, using acrobatic movements.

## Diet

Mallards are omnivores, they eat food of both plant and animal origin: on one hand, they consume insects, worms, gastropods and arthropods; on the other hand, they feed upon diverse vegetation, occasionally using human food sources, including gleaning grain from crops.

## Reproduction

Mallards have monogamous mating system. However, they widely practice so-called “extra-pair copulation”, and paired males are known to chase females that are not their mates. Nesting starts within April, reaching the peak in May. During this period, mated pairs are seen circling in the evenings low over the habitat and looking for a suitable nesting site. When the site is chosen, the female constructs the nest on the ground, near a water body, laying 9 -13 eggs, which are incubated for 26-28 days. Chicks of this species are precocial; once born, they are able to swim, being introduced to water within 12 hours after hatching. Right after mating, male mallards usually leave, gathering into male flocks for molting in the early June, while the females stay with the offspring, caring for the chicks for 42 - 60 days. Both males and females reach sexual maturity at 1 year old.

## Population

### Population threats

Major threats to their population include degradation and drainage of the wetland habitat, reed bed burning and mowing, pollution as well as extraction of peat in some areas of their range. Presently, mallards suffer from alteration of wetland management practices such as decreased grazing and mowing in meadows, which causes over-growth of scrub. In certain areas of their habitat, the birds occasionally ingest lead shot. In addition, being a game species in the USA, mallards are exposed to hunting.

### Population number

The total population of this species is currently increasing, being estimated to 19.000.000 individuals. However, the Mallard is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.

## Domestication

Mallards have often been ubiquitous in their regions among the ponds, rivers, and streams of human parks, farms, and other human-made waterways – even to the point of visiting water features in human courtyards.

Mallards have had a long relationship with humans. Almost all domestic duck breeds derive from the mallard, with the exception of a few Muscovy breeds, and are listed under the trinomial name A. p. domesticus. Mallards are generally monogamous while domestic ducks are mostly polygamous. Domestic ducks have no territorial behaviour and are less aggressive than mallards. Domestic ducks are mostly kept for meat; their eggs are also eaten, and have a strong flavour. They were first domesticated in Southeast Asia at least 4,000 years ago, during the Neolithic Age, and were also farmed by the Romans in Europe, and the Malays in Asia. As the domestic duck and the mallard are the same species as each other, it is common for mallards to mate with domestic ducks and produce hybrid offspring that are fully fertile. Because of this, mallards have been found to be contaminated with the genes of the domestic duck.

While the keeping of domestic breeds is more popular, pure-bred mallards are sometimes kept for eggs and meat, although they may require wing clipping to restrict flying, or training to navigate and fly home.

## Fun Facts for Kids

Females of this species give out the well-known "quack" sound or "decrescendo call", which is heard for miles. This vocalization is also called "hail call", as the females use it, in order to beckon other ducks, including their ducklings.

During the molting period, which occurs after breeding season, mallards are extremely vulnerable, since they are not capable of flying.

Mallard is the ancestor of all domestic duck species.

During the nesting period, females are exposed to severe stress, laying more than half their body weight in eggs.

The famous saying “water off a duck’s back” has to do with the waterproof plumage of these birds; their feathers maintain water repellency due to oil from their preen gland.

Although they mainly feed on the surface of shallow water bodies, mallards can also dive for food on occasion.