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Mallard Duck

Anas platyrhynchos

Photo by LaurieWinters
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Bird Spotting: Male mallards create a spectacular sight while bobbing along the surface of a pond. Their striking green head set off by a white neck ring makes this duck easily identifiable. The body is grayish brown and the speculum, the secondary feathers located on the back inner portion of the wing, are a metallic purplish blue, with a white border. Females are mottled brown with a white tail and purplish-blue speculum. -- Animal Planet: http://animal.discovery.com/guides/wild-birds/i-r/mallard-duck.html

Habitat:

Mallards can be found in ponds, lakes and marshes.

Nesting: Mallard nests are bowl shaped and made of grass. To protect their eight to 10 pale greenish-buff eggs, nests are hidden in marsh grass or on brush piles near the shore.

Bird Bite: The mallard is the most abundant duck in the world.

Backyard Tip: Mallards enjoy the fruits of shagbark hickory. Another food source, the fallen acorns of the white oak tree, are swallowed whole.

Notes:

Photos taken at Crescent Lake, St. Petersburg, Florida

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (2)

Thanks Susan! The Mallard males sure are pretty. Guess I should say handsome.

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