Mallard

The male has a bright green head.

Scientific name	Anas platyrhynchos
English name	Mallard
Japanese name	真鴨
Class	Aves
Order	Anseriformes
Family	Anatidae
Genus	Anas
Species	platyrhynchos
Full length	50-65cm
Distribution	Widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

Mallard Characteristics and Morphology

Males and females have significantly different coloration.
The head is round and lacks a crest. The iris is black to dark brown. The legs are orange. It is difficult to distinguish the Spot-billed Duck from the Mallard.

Male

The head is glossy green, extending to the throat. There is a white ring around the neck at the throat. The bill is yellow, and this remains the same in winter plumage. The chest is brown. The wings are whitish, and the speculum is blue-purple. The bill is yellow, which remains the same in winter plumage and is a key point for distinguishing it from females.

Female

The entire body is brown with a mottled pattern.
The bill is orange with a darkish area near the base. The wings are also brown with mottled patterns of light and dark brown.

Song

They call repeatedly, "Gae gae gae."

Mallard Ecology

Habitat

They live in rivers, lakes, and harbors.

Food

They feed on plant seeds, aquatic plants, and shellfish in rice fields and shallow waters.

Life Cycle

They migrate during the breeding season in spring.

Mallard Photos

Mallard Photos are introduced.
Tap the photo to open the detail page.

The color changes abruptly midway down the neck.

Mallard Behavior

They live in flocks. They rest during the day and begin searching for food in the evening. When foraging, they often submerge their heads, searching in an upside-down position.

Mallard Information

Naming

The scientific name "platyrhynchos" means "broad-billed."

Both domestic ducks and Spot-billed Ducks are the same species as the Mallard. The ancestor of domestic ducks is the Mallard, which was domesticated as poultry. Originating in China, it spread to Japan and England, where various breeds were created. The Spot-billed Duck is a cross between the Mallard and the Chinese Spot-billed Duck.

Mallard Found Locations

Miura Peninsula

I photographed them swimming in a flock along the coast in the morning. They stood up and flapped their wings in the shallows where they could touch the bottom. They were swimming quite leisurely. There was also a male alone on a nearby rocky shore.