Mallard

The most abundant and widespread wild duck (family Anatidae), found across the Northern Hemisphere. Males weigh 1–1.5 kg with iconic breeding plumage: iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, gray body, and curled black tail feathers. Females are mottled brown for camouflage. Both sexes have a distinctive blue-purple speculum (wing patch) bordered by white. They inhabit almost any wetland: lakes, rivers, marshes, parks, and agricultural ponds. They are dabbling ducks, tipping forward to feed on aquatic plants, seeds, invertebrates, and grain. The mallard is the ancestor of nearly all domestic duck breeds (except Muscovy). They are migratory in northern populations but sedentary in temperate and urban areas. Highly hybridizable—they interbreed with many related species, threatening genetic integrity of rarer ducks. Females lay 8–13 eggs; incubation: 26–28 days. Ducklings are precocial and can swim immediately. Lifespan: 5–10 years wild, 20 captive. One of the most hunted waterfowl worldwide. The genome is sequenced (2n=80). IUCN: Least Concern.